CN114666834A

CN114666834A - Communication method, device and system

Info

Publication number: CN114666834A
Application number: CN202011541715.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 狐梦实; 于健; 李云波; 淦明
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-12-23
Filing date: 2020-12-23
Publication date: 2022-06-24
Also published as: EP4250811A4; WO2022135426A1; EP4250811A1

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a communication method, a communication device and a communication system, relates to the technical field of communication, and can support R2 equipment with more characteristics and functions under the condition that the reserved bit number of available signaling in the field of the conventional PPDU is less. The method comprises the following steps: the first device may receive a PPDU including an extended function field sent by the second device, and parse the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device may determine configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device.

Description

Communication method, device and system

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a communication method, apparatus, and system.

Background

Existing Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication systems have started with the 802.11a/b/g standard and have gone through many generations, such as the 802.11n standard, the 802.11ac standard, the 802.11ax standard, and the 802.11be standard. Based on the aforementioned standards, the transmitting device may communicate with the receiving device through a Physical Protocol Data Unit (PPDU).

Illustratively, for the 802.11be standard, a PPDU may include fields such as a general signal field (U-SIG) and an extreme high throughput signaling field (EHT-SIG), wherein the EHT-SIG field may include a legacy common field (common field) and a legacy user specific field (user specific field).

Currently, with the advancement of the standard, there have been some discussions about Release 1(Release 1, R1) devices and Release 2(Release2, R2) devices of EHT in the 802.11be standard, aiming at dividing the technical research into two stages, wherein, an R1 device can meet the requirements of the first stage technical protocol, and for an R2 device, due to the introduction of new characteristics, an R2 device can support more characteristics and functions, such as hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ), multiple access points (multiple access points, multiple-AP), extended multiple resource unit combination, fast link adaptation, low latency configuration, and the like.

However, in the 802.11be standard, there are no large number of reserved bits available in the U-SIG field and the legacy common field and legacy user-specific field in the EHT-SIG field, for example, the number of bits of the ignore (discard) field that can be used in the U-SIG field is 5, the number of bits of the validate (valid) field is 3, and some bits have other reservation purposes; the bit number of an ignored field that can be used by a legacy common field in the EHT-SIG is 4, the legacy user field has a 1-bit reservation in a non-multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (non-MU-MIMO) mode, and there are no remaining reserved bits in the MU-MIMO mode.

Based on the situation that the number of reserved bits of available signaling in the existing PPDU field is small, how to support R2 devices with many features and functions becomes a technical problem to be solved urgently.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of this, the present application provides a communication method, apparatus and system, which can support R2 devices with more features and functions under the condition that the number of reserved bits of available signaling in the existing PPDU field is small.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, where the method includes: a first device receives a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU); wherein the PPDU comprises an extended function field for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first equipment analyzes the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device parses the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field.

Based on the first aspect, the second device may enable the R2 device to determine, according to the extended function field, configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device by adding the extended function field to the PPDU, so as to configure the first characteristic. According to the embodiment of the application, R2 equipment with more characteristics and functions can be well supported by expanding the function field.

In one possible design, the PPDU further includes a legacy common field and a legacy user field; wherein the legacy common field is used to parse a legacy user field, and the legacy user field is used to indicate configuration information of the second characteristic; the second characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R1 device and the R2 device together; analyzing the traditional user field according to the traditional public field; and analyzing the configuration information of the second characteristic according to the traditional user field.

Based on the possible design, by carrying the second characteristic supported by the R1 device and the R2 device together in the legacy user field and carrying the first characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device in the extended function field, the R2 device with more functions and better supported characteristics can be achieved on the basis of ensuring that the R1 device can work normally.

In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended features field; the expansion characteristic field comprises a sub-expansion common field, and the sub-expansion common field comprises first indication information used for indicating whether the first characteristic exists and common characteristic indication information used for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; analyzing whether the first characteristic exists or not according to the first indication information; and analyzing the public configuration information of the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information.

Based on the possible design, the second device may indicate whether the first characteristic exists to the R2 device through the first indication information, if so, the R2 device may continue to configure the first characteristic according to the common characteristic indication information, if not, the R2 device may reduce power consumption without continuing to parse the common characteristic indication information.

In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended features field; the extension characteristic field comprises a sub-extension public field, and the sub-extension public field comprises second indication information used for indicating whether R2 equipment configures the first characteristic or not and public characteristic indication information used for indicating public configuration information of the first characteristic; whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristics is analyzed according to the second indication information; and analyzing the public configuration information of the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information.

Based on the possible design, the second device may indicate to the R2 device whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic through the second indication information, if the R2 device is indicated to configure the first characteristic, the R2 device may continue to configure the first characteristic according to the common characteristic indication information, if the R2 device is indicated not to configure the first characteristic, the R2 device may not continue to parse the common characteristic indication information, and power consumption of the R2 device may be reduced.

In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended features field; the extension characteristic field comprises a sub-extension public field, wherein the sub-extension public field comprises first indication information used for indicating whether the first characteristic exists or not, second indication information used for indicating whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristic or not and public characteristic indication information used for indicating the public configuration information of the first characteristic; analyzing whether the first characteristic exists or not according to the first indication information; whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristics is analyzed according to the second indication information; and analyzing the public configuration information of the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information.

Based on the possible design, the second device may indicate whether the first characteristic exists to the R2 device through the first indication information, indicate whether the R2 device is configured with the first characteristic to the R2 device through the second indication information, if the R2 device is indicated to be configured with the first characteristic and the first characteristic exists, the R2 device may continue to configure the first characteristic according to the common characteristic indication information, otherwise, the R2 device may not continue to parse the common characteristic indication information, and power consumption of the R2 device may be reduced.

In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended features field; the extension characteristic field comprises a sub-extension user field; wherein the sub extension user field includes user characteristic indication information indicating identification information of the R2 device and configuration information indicating a first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information; resolving the R2 equipment according to the identification information; and analyzing the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 equipment indicated by the identification information according to the user characteristic indication information.

Based on the possible design, the R2 device may determine the sub extension user field of the R2 device according to the identification information in the sub extension user field, configure the first identification of the R2 device according to the user characteristic indication information in the sub extension user field, and provide a feasible scheme for the R2 device to determine the sub extension user field of the R2 device from the sub extension user field of the PPDU.

In one possible design, the extension function field is an extension characteristic field, and the extension characteristic field comprises a sub-extension user field; the equipment corresponding to the sub-expansion user field is the same as the equipment corresponding to the traditional user field in sequence; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; the sub extension user field comprises a sub extension user field of an R1 device and a sub extension user field of an R2 device; the sub-extension user field of the R2 device includes user characteristic indication information for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; and analyzing the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information.

In one possible design, the device corresponding to at least one sub-extension user field is sequentially the device corresponding to at least one legacy user field.

Based on the two possible designs, the sub-extension user fields corresponding to the devices may be sequentially set according to the sequence of the devices corresponding to the legacy user fields, so that the R2 device may determine the position of the sub-extension user field of the R2 device in the sub-extension user field of the PPDU according to the position of the legacy user field of the R2 device in the legacy user field of the PPDU. Yet another possibility is provided for the R2 device to determine the sub extension user field of the R2 device from the sub extension user field of the PPDU.

In one possible design, the expansion function field is an expansion characteristic field, and the expansion characteristic field comprises a sub expansion user field; the sub-expansion user field comprises position information and user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indicating information is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used for indicating the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extension user field in the traditional user field; the sub expansion user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the sub expansion user field correspond to the same R2 device; according to the user characteristic indication information, analyzing configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment; analyzing the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extension user field in the traditional user field according to the position information; or, wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used for indicating the position of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-expansion user field; the resource units corresponding to the sub extension user fields and the sub extension user fields correspond to the same R2 equipment; analyzing configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information; and analyzing the positions of the resource units corresponding to the sub-extension user fields according to the position information.

Based on the possible design, the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extension user field in the traditional user field of the PPDU can be determined according to the position information, and then the R2 equipment is identified according to the traditional user field; or determining the position of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extension user field according to the position information, and further identifying the R2 device according to the resource unit. Still another possibility is provided for the R2 device to determine the sub-extension function field of the R2 device from the sub-extension function field of the PPDU.

In one possible design, the sub-extension user field further includes third indication information for indicating whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information; according to the third indication information, whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information is analyzed.

Based on the possible design, the second device may indicate to the R2 device whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information through the third indication information, if the R2 device is indicated to configure the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information, the R2 device may continue to configure the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information, otherwise, the R2 device may not continue to parse the user characteristic indication information, and power consumption of the R2 device may be reduced.

In one possible design, the expansion function field is an expansion characteristic field, and the expansion characteristic field comprises a sub-expansion public field and a sub-expansion user field; the sub-extension public field is used for analyzing the sub-extension user field; and analyzing the sub-extension user field according to the sub-extension public field.

Based on the possible design, the expansion characteristic field can simultaneously comprise a sub-expansion common field and a sub-expansion user field, and based on the sub-expansion common field and the sub-expansion user field, R2 equipment with more characteristics and functions can be better supported.

In one possible design, the sub-extension common fields include one or more of: the public characteristic indication information, the first indication information, the second indication information, the fourth indication information and the fifth indication information; wherein the common characteristic indication information is used for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; the first indication information is used for indicating whether the first characteristic exists or not; the second indication information is used for indicating whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic; the fourth indication information is used for indicating the type of the sub-extension user field; the fifth indication information is used for indicating whether a sub extension user field of the R2 device exists; according to the public characteristic indication information, public configuration information of the first characteristic is analyzed; analyzing whether the first characteristic exists or not according to the first indication information; whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristics is analyzed according to the second indication information; analyzing the type of the sub-extension user field according to the fourth indication information; and analyzing whether the sub-extension user field of the R2 device exists or not according to the fifth indication information.

Based on the possible design, the sub extension common field can further comprise one or more of the above information, so that the flexibility of designing the sub extension common field is increased, and the R2 device with more features and functions is better supported.

In one possible design, the sub-extension common field further includes first common user information; the first common user information is used for indicating common configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub extension user field; and analyzing the common configuration information of the R2 equipment corresponding to the sub extension user field according to the first common user information.

Based on the possible design, by carrying the common configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub extension user field in the sub extension common field, the signaling overhead can be reduced.

According to one possible design, the expanded function field is an expanded user field, and the expanded user field comprises identification information and user characteristic indication information; wherein the identification information is used to indicate an R2 device; the user characteristic indicating information is used for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information; resolving the R2 equipment according to the identification information; and analyzing the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 equipment indicated by the identification information according to the user characteristic indication information.

Based on the possible design, the R2 device may determine the extended user field of the R2 device according to the identification information in the extended user field, configure the first identifier of the R2 device according to the user characteristic indication information in the extended user field, and provide a feasible scheme for the R2 device to determine the extended user field of the R2 device from the extended user field of the PPDU.

In one possible design, the expanded function field is an expanded user field, and the equipment corresponding to the expanded user field is equipment corresponding to the traditional user field in turn; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; the extension user field comprises an extension user field of an R1 device and an extension user field of an R2 device; the extension user field of the R2 device comprises user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indicating information is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; and analyzing the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information.

In one possible design, the device corresponding to the at least one expanded user field is, in turn, a device corresponding to the at least one legacy user field.

Based on the above two possible designs, the extension user fields corresponding to the devices may be sequentially set according to the sequence of the devices corresponding to the legacy user fields, so that the R2 device may determine, according to the position of the legacy user field of the R2 device in the legacy user field of the PPDU, the position of the extension user field of the R2 device in the extension user field of the PPDU. Still another possibility is provided for the R2 device to determine the extended function field of the R2 device from the extended function field of the PPDU.

In one possible design, the expanded function field is an expanded user field, and the expanded user field comprises position information and user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indicating information is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used for indicating the position of a traditional user field corresponding to the expansion user field in the traditional user field; the extension user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the extension user field correspond to the same R2 device; analyzing configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information; analyzing the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the expanded user field in the traditional user field according to the position information; or, wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used for indicating the position of the resource unit corresponding to the expanded user field; the resource units corresponding to the extension user fields and the extension user fields correspond to the same R2 equipment; analyzing configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information; and analyzing the positions of the resource units corresponding to the expanded user fields according to the position information.

Based on the possible design, the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the expanded user field in the traditional user field of the PPDU can be determined according to the position information, and then the R2 equipment is identified according to the traditional user field; or determining the position of the resource unit corresponding to the expanded user field according to the position information, and further identifying the R2 device according to the resource unit. Still another possibility is provided for the R2 device to determine the extended function field of the R2 device from the extended function field of the PPDU.

In one possible design, the extension user field further includes third indication information; wherein the third indication information is used for indicating whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information; according to the third indication information, whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information is analyzed.

In one possible design, the extended function field is located in a padding region in the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

Based on the possible design, the extended function field is arranged in the filling area of the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU, so that the R1 device can regard the extended function field as the filling field, the extended function field does not need to be analyzed, and the R1 device can work normally.

In one possible design, a PPDU is received, comprising: receiving a PPDU carrying EHT-SIG fields through at least two content channels; wherein the extended function field is located in at least two content channels, after the last legacy user field in the EHT-SIG field for which the legacy user specific field is longer; the EHT-SIG field includes a legacy user-specific field; legacy user-specific fields include legacy user fields; alternatively, the extended functionality field is located in at least two content channels, each content channel following the last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field.

Based on this possible design, a possibility is provided for extending the location of the function field in the PPDU when the PPDU is transmitted through at least two content channels.

In one possible design, the OFDM symbol where the start position of the extended function field is located is separated from the OFDM symbol where the end position of the last legacy user field of the PPDU is located by N OFDM symbols.

Based on the possible design, a further feasible scheme is provided for the setting position of the extended function field in the PPDU.

In one possible design, the padding field of the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU further includes eighth indication information; the eighth indication information is used for indicating whether the PPDU comprises an extended function field or not; and analyzing whether the PPDU comprises an extended function field or not according to the eighth indication information.

Based on the possible type, the second device indicates whether the PPDU includes an extended function field through the eighth indication information, if the PPDU includes the extended function field, the R2 device may continue to parse the subsequent extended function field, otherwise, the R2 device may not continue to parse the subsequent extended function field, so as to reduce power consumption of the R2 device.

In one possible design, a U-SIG field of the PPDU includes ninth indication information; the ninth indication information is used for indicating the type of the extended function field; and analyzing the type of the extended function field according to the ninth indication information.

Based on the possible design, the type of the extended function field may include information such as a field type and a field length of the extended function field, and the type of the extended function field may be determined through the ninth indication information, so that the R2 device may analyze the extended function field according to the type of the extended function field, and the analysis success rate is improved.

In one possible design, the legacy user field of the PPDU includes the legacy user field of the R2 device; wherein, the legacy user field of the R2 device includes location information, and the location information is used to indicate the location of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field; and analyzing the position of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field according to the position information.

Based on the possible design, the position of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field of the PPDU can be indicated by the position information by rewriting the meaning of the legacy user field of the R2 device. More R2 devices with more capabilities and functions can be better supported.

In one possible design, the legacy user field of the R2 device further includes tenth indication information; the tenth indication information is used for indicating whether the extended function field of the R2 device is included in the extended function field; and analyzing whether the extended function field comprises the extended function field of the R2 device or not according to the tenth indication information.

Based on the possible design, the tenth indication information may be used to indicate whether the extended function field of the R2 device is included in the extended function field, if so, the R2 device may continue to parse the subsequent extended function field, otherwise, the R2 device may not continue to parse the subsequent extended function field, so as to reduce the power consumption of the R2 device.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which may include: the second equipment generates a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU comprises an extended function field for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the second device transmits a PPDU.

Based on the second aspect, the second device may enable the R2 device to determine, according to the extended function field, configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device by adding the extended function field in the PPDU, so as to configure the first characteristic. According to the embodiment of the application, R2 equipment with more characteristics and functions can be well supported by expanding the function field.

It should be noted that, for specific description of the PPDU in the second aspect, reference may be made to related description of the PPDU in the communication method provided by the first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect, which is not repeated herein.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, which may include: a first device receives a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU); wherein the PPDU comprises an extension common field for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first equipment analyzes the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device parses the common configuration information of the first characteristic according to the extended common field.

Based on the third aspect, the second device may enable the R2 device to determine the common configuration information of the first characteristic according to the extension common field by adding the extension common field in the PPDU, so as to configure the first characteristic. The embodiment of the application can well support R2 equipment with more characteristics and functions by expanding the common field.

In one possible design, the common extension field includes first indication information indicating whether the first characteristic exists and common characteristic indication information indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; and analyzing whether the first characteristic exists or not according to the first indication information, and analyzing the public configuration information of the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information.

In one possible design, the extension common field includes second indication information indicating whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic and common characteristic indication information indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristic is analyzed according to the second indication information, and the common configuration information of the first characteristic is analyzed according to the common characteristic indication information.

In one possible design, the extension common field includes first indication information, second indication information, and common characteristic indication information; the first indication information is used for indicating whether the first characteristic exists or not, the second indication information is used for indicating whether the R2 equipment configures the first characteristic or not, and the common characteristic indication information is used for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; analyzing whether the first characteristic exists or not according to the first indication information; whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristics is analyzed according to the second indication information; and analyzing the public configuration information of the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information.

In one possible design, the extended common field further includes second common user information; wherein the second public user information is used for indicating public configuration information of the R2 device; and resolving the public configuration information of the R2 equipment according to the second public user information.

Based on this possible design, signaling overhead can be reduced by carrying the common configuration information of the R2 device in the extended common field.

In one possible design, the extension common field is located in a padding region in the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

Based on the possible design, the extension public field is arranged in a padding area in an EHT-SIG field of the PPDU, so that the R1 device considers the extension public field as the padding field, the extension public field does not need to be analyzed, and the R1 device can work normally.

In one possible design, a PPDU is received, comprising: receiving a PPDU carrying EHT-SIG fields through at least two content channels; wherein the extended common field is located in at least two content channels, after the last legacy user field in the EHT-SIG field for which the legacy user specific field is longer; the EHT-SIG field includes a legacy user specific field; legacy user-specific fields include legacy user fields; alternatively, the extended common field is located in at least two content channels, each content channel following the last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field.

Based on this possible design, a possibility is provided for extending the location of the common field in the PPDU when the PPDU is transmitted through at least two content channels.

In one possible design, the OFDM symbol where the start position of the extended common field is located is N OFDM symbols apart from the OFDM symbol where the end position of the last legacy user field of the PPDU is located.

Based on the possible design, a further feasible scheme is provided for expanding the setting position of the common field in the PPDU.

In one possible design, the padding field of the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU further includes eighth indication information; the eighth indication information is used for indicating whether the PPDU comprises an extension public field or not; and analyzing whether the PPDU comprises the extension public field or not according to the eighth indication information.

Based on the possible type, the second device indicates whether the PPDU includes the extension common field through the eighth indication information, if the PPDU includes the extension common field, the R2 device may continue to parse the subsequent extension common field, otherwise, the R2 device may not continue to parse the subsequent extension common field, and power consumption of the R2 device is reduced.

In one possible design, a U-SIG field of the PPDU includes ninth indication information; the ninth indication information is used for indicating the type of the expanded public field; and analyzing the type of the expanded public field according to the ninth indication information.

Based on the possible design, the type of the expanded public field may include information such as a field type and a field length of the expanded public field, and the type of the expanded public field may be determined through the ninth indication information, so that the R2 device can analyze the expanded public field according to the type of the expanded public field, and the success rate of analysis is improved.

In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, where the method may include: the second equipment generates a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; the PPDU comprises an extension public field used for indicating public configuration information of a first characteristic; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the second device transmits the PPDU.

Based on the fourth aspect, the second device may enable the R2 device to determine the common configuration information of the first characteristic according to the extension common field by adding the extension common field in the PPDU, so as to configure the first characteristic. The embodiment of the application can well support R2 equipment with more characteristics and functions by expanding the common field.

It should be noted that, for specific description of the PPDU in the fourth aspect, reference may be made to related description of the PPDU in the communication method provided by any one of the possible designs of the third aspect or the third aspect, which is not repeated herein.

In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, where the method includes: a first device receives a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU); the PPDU comprises an extension public field used for indicating the public configuration information of the first characteristic and an extension function field used for indicating the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first equipment analyzes the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device analyzes the public configuration information with the first characteristic according to the extended public field; and analyzing the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the extended function field.

Based on the first aspect, the second device may enable the R2 device to determine the common configuration information of the first characteristic according to the extension common field, determine the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extension function field, and further configure the first characteristic by adding the extension common field and the extension function field in the PPDU. According to the embodiment of the application, R2 equipment with more characteristics and functions can be well supported by expanding the public field and expanding the function field.

In one possible design, the extension common field includes first indication information indicating whether the first characteristic exists and common characteristic indication information indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; and analyzing whether the first characteristic exists or not according to the first indication information, and analyzing the public configuration information of the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information.

In one possible design, the expansion common field includes first indication information, second indication information, and common characteristic indication information; the first indication information is used for indicating whether the first characteristic exists or not, the second indication information is used for indicating whether the R2 equipment configures the first characteristic or not, and the common characteristic indication information is used for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; analyzing whether the first characteristic exists or not according to the first indication information; whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristics is analyzed according to the second indication information; and analyzing the public configuration information of the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information.

In one possible design, the extended function field is an extended features field; the extension characteristic field comprises a sub-extension public field, and the sub-extension public field comprises second indication information used for indicating whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristic and public characteristic indication information used for indicating the public configuration information of the first characteristic; whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristics is analyzed according to the second indication information; and analyzing the public configuration information of the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information.

Based on the possible design, the R2 device may determine the sub extension user field of the R2 device according to the identification information in the sub extension user field, configure the first identifier of the R2 device according to the user characteristic indication information in the sub extension user field, and provide a feasible scheme for the R2 device to determine the sub extension user field of the R2 device from the sub extension user field of the PPDU.

Based on the two possible designs, the sub-extension user fields corresponding to the devices may be sequentially set according to the sequence of the devices corresponding to the legacy user fields, so that the R2 device may determine the position of the sub-extension user field of the R2 device in the sub-extension user field of the PPDU according to the position of the legacy user field of the R2 device in the legacy user field of the PPDU. A further possibility is provided for the R2 device to determine the sub extension user field of the R2 device from the sub extension user field of the PPDU.

In one possible design, the extension function field is an extension characteristic field, and the extension characteristic field comprises a sub-extension user field; the sub-expansion user field comprises position information and user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indicating information is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used for indicating the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extension user field in the traditional user field; the sub expansion user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the sub expansion user field correspond to the same R2 device; analyzing configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information; analyzing the positions of the traditional user fields corresponding to the sub-extension user fields in the traditional user fields according to the position information; or, wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used for indicating the position of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-expansion user field; the resource units corresponding to the sub extension user fields and the sub extension user fields correspond to the same R2 equipment; analyzing configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information; and analyzing the positions of the resource units corresponding to the sub-extension user fields according to the position information.

Based on the possible design, the positions of the traditional user fields corresponding to the sub-extension user fields in the traditional user fields of the PPDU can be determined according to the position information, and then the R2 equipment is identified according to the traditional user fields; or, the positions of the resource units corresponding to the sub-extension user fields are determined according to the position information, and then the R2 device is identified according to the resource units. Still another possibility is provided for the R2 device to determine the sub-extension function field of the R2 device from the sub-extension function field of the PPDU.

In one possible design, the common fields of the sub-extensions include one or more of: the public characteristic indication information, the first indication information, the second indication information, the fourth indication information and the fifth indication information; wherein the common characteristic indication information is used for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; the first indication information is used for indicating whether the first characteristic exists or not; the second indication information is used for indicating whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic; the fourth indication information is used for indicating the type of the sub-extension user field; the fifth indication information is used for indicating whether a sub extension user field of the R2 device exists; according to the public characteristic indication information, public configuration information of the first characteristic is analyzed; analyzing whether the first characteristic exists or not according to the first indication information; whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristics is analyzed according to the second indication information; analyzing the type of the sub-extension user field according to the fourth indication information; and analyzing whether the sub-extension user field of the R2 device exists or not according to the fifth indication information.

According to one possible design, the expanded function field is an expanded user field, and the expanded user field comprises identification information and user characteristic indication information; wherein the identification information is used to indicate an R2 device; the user characteristic indicating information is used for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information; according to the identification information, resolving the R2 equipment; and analyzing the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 equipment indicated by the identification information according to the user characteristic indication information.

In one possible design, the expanded function field is an expanded user field, and the devices corresponding to the expanded user field are the devices corresponding to the traditional user field in turn; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; the extension user field comprises an extension user field of an R1 device and an extension user field of an R2 device; the extension user field of the R2 device includes user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indicating information is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; and analyzing the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information.

In one possible design, the device corresponding to the at least one extension user field is sequentially the device corresponding to the at least one legacy user field.

Based on the two possible designs, the extension user fields corresponding to the devices may be sequentially set according to the sequence of the devices corresponding to the legacy user fields, so that the R2 device may determine the location of the extension user field of the R2 device in the extension user field of the PPDU according to the location of the legacy user field of the R2 device in the legacy user field of the PPDU. Still another possibility is provided for the R2 device to determine the extended function field of the R2 device from the extended function field of the PPDU.

In one possible design, the expanded function field is an expanded user field, and the expanded user field comprises position information and user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indicating information is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used for indicating the position of a traditional user field corresponding to the expansion user field in the traditional user field; the extension user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the extension user field correspond to the same R2 equipment; analyzing configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information; analyzing the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the expanded user field in the traditional user field according to the position information; or, wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used for indicating the position of the resource unit corresponding to the expanded user field; the resource units corresponding to the extension user fields and the extension user fields correspond to the same R2 equipment; analyzing configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information; and analyzing the positions of the resource units corresponding to the expanded user fields according to the position information.

Based on the possible design, the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the expanded user field in the traditional user field of the PPDU can be determined according to the position information, and then the R2 equipment is identified according to the traditional user field; or, determining the position of the resource unit corresponding to the expanded user field according to the position information, and then identifying the R2 device according to the resource unit. Still another possibility is provided for the R2 device to determine the extended function field of the R2 device from the extended function field of the PPDU.

In one possible design, the extended common field is also used to parse the extended function field; and analyzing the extended function field according to the extended public field.

Based on the possible design, the PPDU can simultaneously include an extension common field and an extension function field, and can better support R2 devices with more features and functions based on the extension common field and the extension function field.

In one possible design, the extended common fields include one or more of: the public characteristic indication information, the first indication information, the second indication information, the sixth indication information and the seventh indication information; the common characteristic indication information is common configuration information indicating a first characteristic; the first indication information is used for indicating whether the first characteristic exists or not; the second indication information is for indicating whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic; the sixth indication information is used for indicating the type of at least one extended function field; the seventh indication information is used for indicating whether an extended function field of the R2 device exists; according to the public characteristic indication information, public configuration information of the first characteristic is analyzed; analyzing whether the first characteristic exists or not according to the first indication information; analyzing whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristic or not according to the second indication information; analyzing the type of at least one extended function field according to the sixth indication information; and analyzing whether the extended function field of the R2 device exists or not according to the seventh indication information.

Based on the possible design, the extended common field can also comprise one or more of the above information, so that the flexibility of the design of the extended common field is increased, and the R2 equipment with more features and functions is better supported.

Based on the possible design, by carrying the common configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the extended function field in the extended common field, the signaling overhead can be reduced.

In one possible design, the extension common field and the extension function field are located in a padding region in the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

Based on the possible design, the extended common field and the extended function field are arranged in the filling area of the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU, so that the R1 device can regard the extended common field and the extended function field as the filling field, the extended common field and the extended function field do not need to be analyzed, and the R1 device can work normally.

In one possible design, a PPDU is received, comprising: receiving a PPDU carrying EHT-SIG fields through at least two content channels; wherein the extended common field and the extended function field are located in at least two content channels, behind a last legacy user field in the EHT-SIG field where the legacy user specific field is longer; the EHT-SIG field includes a legacy user-specific field; legacy user-specific fields include legacy user fields; alternatively, the extended common field and the extended functionality field are located in at least two content channels, after a last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

Based on the possible design, when the PPDU is transmitted through at least two content channels, a feasible scheme is provided for setting positions of the extended common field and the extended function field in the PPDU.

In one possible design, the OFDM symbol where the starting position of the extended common field and the extended function field is located is separated from the OFDM symbol where the ending position of the last legacy user field of the PPDU is located by N OFDM symbols.

Based on the possible design, a feasible scheme is provided for setting the positions of the extended common field and the extended function field in the PPDU.

In one possible design, the padding field of the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU further includes eighth indication information; the eighth indication information is used for indicating whether the PPDU comprises an extension public field and an extension function field; and analyzing whether the PPDU comprises an extension public field and an extension function field or not according to the eighth indication information.

Based on the possible types, the second device indicates, through the eighth indication information, whether the PPDU includes an extension common field and an extension function field, if the PPDU includes the extension common field and the extension function field, the R2 device may continue to parse the subsequent extension common field and the subsequent extension function field, otherwise, the R2 device may not continue to parse the subsequent extension common field and the subsequent extension function field, and power consumption of the R2 device is reduced.

In one possible design, a U-SIG field of the PPDU includes ninth indication information; the ninth indication information is used for indicating the types of the expansion public field and the expansion function field; and analyzing the types of the extended public field and the extended function field according to the ninth indication information.

Based on the possible design, the types of the expanded public fields and the expanded function fields can comprise information such as field types and field lengths of the expanded public fields and the expanded function fields, the types of the expanded public fields and the expanded function fields can be determined through the ninth indication information, the R2 equipment can conveniently analyze the expanded public fields and the expanded function fields according to the types of the expanded public fields and the expanded function fields, and the analysis success rate is improved.

In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, where the method may include: the second equipment generates a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; the PPDU comprises an extension public field used for indicating the public configuration information of the first characteristic and an extension function field used for indicating the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the first property is a property supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the second device transmits a PPDU.

Based on the sixth aspect, the second device may enable the R2 device to determine the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extension common field and the extension function field by adding the extension common field and the extension function field in the PPDU, so as to configure the first characteristic. According to the embodiment of the application, R2 equipment with more characteristics and functions can be well supported by expanding the public field and expanding the function field.

It should be noted that, for the specific description of the PPDU in the sixth aspect, reference may be made to the related description of the PPDU in the communication method provided by any one of the possible designs of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect, and details are not repeated.

In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, where the method may include: a first device receives a PPDU comprising a user specific field; the user specific field comprises at least one extension user field; the user specific field supports an expanded user field and a traditional user field; the bit number of the expanded user field is equal to the sum of the bit number of the traditional user field and the first bit number; the first number of bits is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device analyzes the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device analyzes the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the first bit number.

Based on the seventh aspect, the second device may indicate the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device by extending the first number of bits in the user field, and the additional first number of bits may well support R2 devices with more characteristics and functions compared to the legacy user field.

In one possible design, the PPDU includes a legacy common field; the legacy common field includes eleventh indication information; the eleventh indication information is used for indicating that the user field in the user specific field is an expanded user field; analyzing a user field in the user specific field as an expanded user field according to the eleventh indication information; or, the eleventh indication information is used to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is a legacy user field; and according to the eleventh indication information, analyzing that the user field in the user specific field is a legacy user field.

In one possible design, the PPDU includes a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field including eleventh indication information; the eleventh indication information is used for indicating that the user field in the user specific field is an expanded user field; analyzing a user field in the user specific field as an expanded user field according to the eleventh indication information; or, the eleventh indication information is used to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is a legacy user field; and according to the eleventh indication information, analyzing that the user field in the user specific field is a legacy user field.

Based on the two possible designs, the second device may indicate that the user field in the user specific field is an extended user field or a legacy user field by carrying eleventh indication information in a legacy common field or a U-SIG field of the PPDU, and if the user field is an extended user field, the R2 device may analyze the first number of bits in the extended user field, so as to well support the R2 device with more features and functions.

In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, where the method may include: the second device generating a PPDU including the user-specific field; the user specific field comprises at least one extension user field; the user specific field supports an expanded user field and a traditional user field; the bit number of the expanded user field is equal to the sum of the bit number of the traditional user field and the first bit number; the first number of bits is configuration information indicating a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the second device transmits the PPDU.

It should be noted that, for specific description of a PPDU in the eighth aspect, reference may be made to the related description of the PPDU in the communication method provided by any one of the seventh aspects or the possible designs of the seventh aspect, which is not described in detail.

In a ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, including: a receiving and sending module and a processing module. The system comprises a receiving and sending module, a sending and receiving module and a sending and receiving module, wherein the receiving and sending module is used for receiving a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU comprises an extended function field for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first property is a property supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first equipment analyzes the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the processing module is configured to parse configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field.

It should be noted that, for a specific description of the PPDU in the ninth aspect, reference may be made to a related description of the PPDU in the communication method provided by any one of the above-mentioned first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect, and a specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the ninth aspect may refer to a behavior function of the first device in the communication method provided by any one of the above-mentioned first aspect or any one of the possible designs of the first aspect, which is not repeated.

In a tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, including: a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module is used for generating a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU comprises an extended function field for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the transceiver module is used for transmitting the PPDU.

It should be noted that, for a specific description of the PPDU in the tenth aspect, reference may be made to a related description of the PPDU in the communication method provided by any one of the possible designs of the second aspect or the second aspect, and for a specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the tenth aspect, reference may be made to a behavior function of the second device in the communication method provided by any one of the possible designs of the second aspect or the second aspect, which is not repeated.

In an eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, including: a receiving and sending module and a processing module. The system comprises a receiving and sending module, a sending and receiving module and a sending and receiving module, wherein the receiving and sending module is used for receiving a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; the PPDU comprises an extension public field used for indicating public configuration information of a first characteristic; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first equipment analyzes the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the processing module is configured to parse the public configuration information with the first characteristic according to the extended public field.

It should be noted that, for a specific description of a PPDU in the eleventh aspect, reference may be made to a related description of the PPDU in the communication method provided by any one of the above-mentioned third aspect and possible designs of the third aspect, and for a specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the eleventh aspect, reference may be made to a behavior function of the first device in the communication method provided by any one of the above-mentioned third aspect and possible designs of the third aspect, which is not repeated.

In a twelfth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, including: the device comprises a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module is used for generating a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; the PPDU comprises an extension public field used for indicating public configuration information of a first characteristic; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the transceiver module is used for transmitting the PPDU.

It should be noted that, for a specific description of the PPDU in the twelfth aspect, reference may be made to a related description of the PPDU in the communication method provided by any one of the possible designs of the fourth aspect or the fourth aspect, and for a specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the twelfth aspect, reference may be made to a behavior function of the second device in the communication method provided by any one of the possible designs of the fourth aspect or the fourth aspect, which is not repeated.

In a thirteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, including: a receiving and sending module and a processing module. The system comprises a receiving and sending module, a sending and receiving module and a sending and receiving module, wherein the receiving and sending module is used for receiving a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; the PPDU comprises an extension public field used for indicating the public configuration information of the first characteristic and an extension function field used for indicating the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first equipment analyzes the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the processing module is configured to parse public configuration information with a first characteristic according to the extended public field; and analyzing the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the extended function field.

It should be noted that, for a specific description of the PPDU in the thirteenth aspect, reference may be made to a related description of the PPDU in the communication method provided by any one of the possible designs of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect, and for a specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the thirteenth aspect, reference may be made to a behavior function of the first device in the communication method provided by any one of the possible designs of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect, which is not repeated.

In a fourteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, including: a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module is used for generating a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; the PPDU comprises an extension public field used for indicating the public configuration information of the first characteristic and an extension function field used for indicating the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the transceiver module is used for transmitting the PPDU.

It should be noted that, for a specific description of the PPDU in the fourteenth aspect, reference may be made to a related description of the PPDU in the communication method provided by any one of the possible designs of the sixth aspect, and for a specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the fourteenth aspect, reference may be made to a behavior function of the second device in the communication method provided by any one of the possible designs of the sixth aspect or the sixth aspect, which is not repeated.

In a fifteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, including: a receiving and sending module and a processing module. A transceiver module for receiving a PPDU including a user specific field; the user specific field comprises at least one extension user field; the user specific field supports an expanded user field and a traditional user field; the bit number of the expanded user field is equal to the sum of the bit number of the traditional user field and the first bit number; the first number of bits is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device analyzes the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the processing unit is configured to parse configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device according to the first bit number.

It should be noted that, for specific description of a PPDU in the fifteenth aspect, reference may be made to related description of a PPDU in a communication method provided by any one of the foregoing seventh aspects or possible designs of the seventh aspect, and for a specific implementation manner of a communication apparatus in the fifteenth aspect, reference may be made to a behavior function of a first device in a communication method provided by any one of the foregoing seventh aspects or possible designs of the seventh aspect, which is not described in detail.

In a sixteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, including: a processing module and a transceiver module. A processing module for generating a PPDU comprising a user specific field; the user specific field comprises at least one extension user field; the user specific field supports an expanded user field and a traditional user field; the bit number of the expanded user field is equal to the sum of the bit number of the traditional user field and the first bit number; the first number of bits is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the transceiver module is used for transmitting the PPDU.

It should be noted that, for a specific description of the PPDU in the sixteenth aspect, reference may be made to a related description of the PPDU in the communication method provided by any one of the above-mentioned possible designs of the eighth aspect or the eighth aspect, and for a specific implementation manner of the communication apparatus in the sixteenth aspect, reference may be made to a behavior function of the second device in the communication method provided by any one of the above-mentioned possible designs of the eighth aspect or the eighth aspect, which is not repeated.

In a seventeenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, including a processor and a transceiver in communication with the processor; the transceiver is used for receiving PPDU; the processor is configured to parse the PPDU.

It should be noted that, the communication device provided in the seventeenth aspect is configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the first aspect or the first aspect, or is configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the third aspect or the third aspect, or is configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect, or is configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the seventh aspect or the seventh aspect, and specific details may refer to any possible implementation manner of the first aspect or the first aspect, or refer to any possible implementation manner of the third aspect or the third aspect, or refer to any possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect, or refer to any possible implementation manner of the seventh aspect or the seventh aspect, which is not described herein again.

In an eighteenth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a communication device, which includes a processor and a transceiver in communication with the processor; the processor is used for generating a resolution PPDU; the transceiver is used for transmitting PPDU.

It should be noted that, in an eighteenth aspect, the communication apparatus is configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the second aspect or the second aspect, or is configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect or the fourth aspect, or is configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the sixth aspect or the sixth aspect, or is configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect or the eighth aspect, and specific details may be referred to any possible implementation manner of the second aspect or the second aspect, or any possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect or the fourth aspect, or any possible implementation manner of the sixth aspect or the sixth aspect, or any possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect or the eighth aspect, and are not described herein again.

In a nineteenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, where the communication apparatus includes a processing circuit and an input/output interface connected and communicating with the processing circuit, where the input/output interface is configured to receive a PPDU; the processing circuit is configured to parse the PPDU.

It should be noted that, the communications apparatus provided in the nineteenth aspect is configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the first aspect or the first aspect, or is configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the third aspect or the third aspect, or is configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect, or is configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the seventh aspect or the seventh aspect, and specific details may refer to any possible implementation manner of the first aspect or the first aspect, or refer to any possible implementation manner of the third aspect or the third aspect, or refer to any possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect, or refer to any possible implementation manner of the seventh aspect or the seventh aspect, which is not described herein again.

In a twentieth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication apparatus, where the communication apparatus includes a processing circuit and an input/output interface connected and communicating with the processing circuit, and the processing circuit is configured to generate a PPDU; the input and output interface is used for sending PPDU.

It should be noted that, a twentieth aspect provides a communication apparatus configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the second aspect or the second aspect, or configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect or the fourth aspect, or configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the sixth aspect or the sixth aspect, or configured to execute any possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect or the eighth aspect, where specific details may refer to any possible implementation manner of the second aspect or the second aspect, or refer to any possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect or the fourth aspect, or refer to any possible implementation manner of the sixth aspect or the sixth aspect, or refer to any possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect or the eighth aspect, and details are not repeated here.

In a twenty-first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program, where the computer program includes instructions for executing the first aspect or any possible implementation manner of the first aspect; or comprise instructions for carrying out the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect; or comprises instructions for performing any possible implementation of the third aspect or the third aspect; or comprises instructions for carrying out any possible implementation of the fourth aspect or the fourth aspect described above; or comprise instructions for carrying out any possible implementation of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect described above; or comprising instructions for carrying out any possible implementation of the sixth aspect or the sixth aspect; or comprises instructions for performing any possible implementation of the seventh or seventh aspects above; or comprise instructions for carrying out any possible implementation of the eighth aspect or the eighth aspect described above.

In a twenty-second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, where the computer program product includes instructions for executing the first aspect or any possible implementation manner of the first aspect; or comprise instructions for carrying out the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect; or comprises instructions for performing any possible implementation of the third aspect or the third aspect; or comprises instructions for carrying out any possible implementation of the fourth aspect or the fourth aspect described above; or comprises instructions for carrying out any possible implementation of the fifth aspect or the fifth aspect described above; or comprising instructions for carrying out any possible implementation of the sixth aspect or the sixth aspect; or comprise instructions for carrying out any possible implementation of the seventh aspect or aspects described above; or comprise instructions for carrying out any possible implementation of the eighth aspect or the eighth aspect described above.

In a twenty-third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication system, where the communication system includes the first device shown in the above-mentioned ninth aspect and the second device provided in the tenth aspect; or, the first device shown in the eleventh aspect and the second device provided by the twelfth aspect are included; alternatively, the first device shown in the thirteenth aspect and the second device provided in the fourteenth aspect are included; alternatively, the first device shown in the fifteenth aspect and the second device provided by the sixteenth aspect are included.

Drawings

Fig. 1a is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of an HE-SIG-B field according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 1b is a schematic diagram of subcarrier distribution and RU distribution of 20MHz according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 1c is a schematic diagram of a 40MHz subcarrier distribution and an RU distribution according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 1d is a schematic diagram of subcarrier distribution and RU distribution of 80MHz according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 1e is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of an HE-SIG-B field according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 1f is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 1g is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure provided in the embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 11 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 14 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 15 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 16 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 17 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 18 is a schematic diagram of a PPDU frame structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 19 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 20 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

Prior to describing the embodiments of the present application, technical terms related to the embodiments of the present application will be described.

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication system: starting with the 802.11a/b/g standard, over many generations, such as the 802.11n standard, the 802.11ac standard, the 802.11ax standard, and the 802.11be standard.

The 802.11n standard may also be referred to as a High Throughput (HT) standard. The 802.11ac standard may also be referred to as the Very High Throughput (VHT) standard. The 802.11a standard may be referred to as a High Efficiency (HE) standard, and may also be referred to as the WiFi 6 (wireless fidelity) standard, 6 th generation. The 802.11be standard may become an Extremely High Throughput (EHT) standard, and may also be referred to as a WiFi 7 standard. For the standards before the HT standard, the standards such as 802.11a/b/g may be collectively referred to as Non-high throughput (Non-HT) standards.

In the WLAN communication system, a transmitting device may realize communication with a receiving device by transmitting a Physical Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) to the receiving device.

Illustratively, taking the 802.11ax standard as an example, as shown in fig. 1a, the PPDU may include a high efficiency signaling field B (HE-SIG-B), which may include a legacy common field (common field), a legacy user specific field (user specific field).

As shown in fig. 1a, the legacy common field may include 1 to N resource unit allocation subfields (RU allocation subfields), a middle 26-tone RU indication field (center-26-tone RU indication), a Cyclic Redundancy Code (CRC) field, and a Tail (Tail) field; wherein the receiving device can determine a legacy user field of the receiving device among at least one legacy user field of the legacy user specific field according to the resource unit allocation subfield, the CRC field is used for checking, and the tail field is used for cyclic decoding. It should be noted that, when the bandwidth is greater than or equal to 80MHz, the middle 26-subcarrier resource unit indication field exists.

As shown in fig. 1a, in the legacy user specific field, 1 to M legacy user fields (user fields) may be included in the order of resource unit allocation, where the M legacy user fields are usually in two groups, and each two user fields are followed by a CRC field and a Tail field, but it should be noted that in the last group, there may be 1 or 2 legacy user fields. After the Tail field, the legacy user specific field may further include a padding field, and the bit value setting in the padding field is not limited and may be set to an arbitrary value.

Illustratively, in the 802.11ax standard, the PPDU may further include a HE-SIG-a field, which may include a 4-bit number of HE-SIG-B symbols or a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) user number (number of HE-SIG-B symbols or MU-MIMO users) field to indicate the length of the HE-SIG-B field. For example, the length of the HE-SIG-B field may be set to 1 to 16 Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols, in part with the number of user fields indicating that even more OFDM symbols may be supported, without limitation.

Further, after the receiving device receives the PPDU including the HE-SIG-a field and the HE-SIG-B field, the length of the legacy user specific field and the length of a padding field in the legacy user specific field may be determined according to the legacy common field in the HE-SIG-a field and the HE-SIG-B field; and determining the legacy user field of the receiving device among 1-M legacy user fields of the legacy user specific field according to the resource unit allocation subfield in the legacy common field.

In the 802.11ax standard, as shown in fig. 1b, when the data packet bandwidth is 20MHz, the entire bandwidth may be composed of one entire 242-subcarrier resource unit (242-tone RU), or may be composed of various combinations of 26-tone RU, 52-tone RU, and 106-tone RU.

As shown in fig. 1c, when the data packet bandwidth is 40MHz, the entire bandwidth may roughly correspond to a 20MHz subcarrier distribution replica, and the entire bandwidth may consist of one entire 484-tone RU, or various combinations of 26-tone RU, 52-tone RU, 106-tone RU, and 242-tone RU.

As shown in fig. 1d, when the data packet bandwidth is 80MHz, the whole bandwidth may be composed of 4 resource units in units of 242-tone RUs, and specifically, in the middle of the whole bandwidth, there is also one middle 26-tone RU composed of two 13-tone sub-units. The entire bandwidth may consist of the entire 996-tone RU, or may consist of various combinations of 26-tone RUs, 52-tone RUs, 106-tone RUs, 242-tone RUs, 484-tone RUs.

In addition, in the data packet bandwidths shown in fig. 1b to 1d described above, in addition to the RUs used for transmitting data, one or more of the following subcarriers may be included: guard (guard) subcarriers, null subcarriers, Direct Current (DC) subcarriers, etc., without limitation.

Based on the above fig. 1b to fig. 1d, it can be understood that, when the data packet bandwidth is 160MHz or 80+80MHz, the whole bandwidth may be regarded as a copy of two sub-carrier distributions of 80MHz, and the whole bandwidth may be composed of one whole 2 × 996-tone RU, or may be composed of various combinations of 26-tone RU, 52-tone RU, 106-tone RU, 242-tone RU, 484-tone RU, and 996-tone RU, which is not described in detail.

It should be noted that, in the subcarrier distribution based on the bandwidths of the various data packets shown in fig. 1b to 1d, the left side of the figure can be regarded as the lowest frequency and the right side of the figure can be regarded as the highest frequency, with the unit of 242-tone RU. From left to right, the 242-tone RU may be numbered: 1^st2nd, …, 8 th. It is to be noted that it is preferable that,in the data field, 8 242-tone RUs correspond one-to-one with 8 20MHz channels from low to high in frequency, but are not completely overlapping in frequency due to the presence of the middle 26-tone RU.

The 802.11ax standard also introduces the concept of Content Channel (CC). When the data packet bandwidth is only 20MHz, the HE-SIG-B field contains only 1 content channel, which may contain 1 resource unit allocation subfield to indicate a resource unit allocation indication in the data portion 242-tone RU range. Wherein the resource unit allocation subfield may be 8 bits.

For example, the sending device may indicate all possible resource unit permutation and combination manners in the 242-tone RU by means of an index. In addition, for RUs with the size of 106-tone or more, the number of users in the RU for SU/MU-MIMO transmission can be indicated by the index at the same time.

For example, taking the index table of the above resource unit allocation subfields as table 1 below, each row in table 1 represents an RU configuration case, where most of the RU configurations in table 1 are in the range of 242-tone, and a small number of the RU configurations indicate that the RU belongs to a 242-tone RU, a 484-tone RU, or a 996-tone RU. Every 8-bit resource unit allocation subfield will inform the corresponding RU allocation status in the 20MHz range, which can also be described as: there are 1 resource unit allocation subfield for 20MHz, 2 resource unit allocation subfields for 40MHz, 4 resource unit allocation subfields for 80MHz, and 8 resource unit allocation subfields for 160 MHz.

Resource unit allocation sub-field in table 1802.11 ax

It should be noted that, the sequence of the occurrences of the legacy user in the legacy user specific field is consistent with the RU sequence divided in the corresponding resource unit allocation subfield, and the user can read the station identification (STA ID) in the legacy user field to identify whether the legacy user field belongs to the user, and if the legacy user field belongs to the RU sequence, the RU allocation condition of the user can be determined by combining the locations of the occurrences of the legacy user field and the corresponding resource unit allocation subfield.

Meanwhile, in order to effectively multiplex resources, in the 802.11ax standard, the contents in the HE-SIG-B field may be represented by CC1 or CC2 when the data packet bandwidth is 40MHz or more.

Illustratively, as shown in fig. 1e, when the data packet bandwidth is 40MHz, there may be two HE-SIG-B content channels, namely CC1 and CC 2. Wherein the resource unit allocation sub-field in the first 242-tone RU range and the corresponding legacy user specific field may be contained in the CC1 of the first HE-SIG-B channel; a resource unit allocation subfield within the second 242-tone RU range and a corresponding legacy user specific field may be contained in the CC2 of the second HE-SIG-B channel.

Illustratively, when the data packet bandwidth is 80MHz, there may be two groups of content channels, each group of content channels includes CC1 and CC2, and there are 4 channels in total, and the content channels indicate the resource unit allocation information on the 4 channels according to the structure of CC1, CC2, CC1, and CC2 from low to high in frequency. Wherein the resource unit allocation subfields in the first and third 242-tone RU ranges and the corresponding legacy user specific fields in their ranges are included in CC 1; the resource unit subfields within the second and fourth 242-tone RUs are included in CC2 along with the corresponding legacy user-specific fields within their ranges.

It should be noted that the array packet in the case of a larger data packet bandwidth is similar to the above 40MHz and 80MHz, and is not described in detail.

In summary, the contents of the resource unit allocation subfields are shown in part in CC1 and CC2, respectively. Through reading the information in CC1 and CC2, the user can determine the corresponding RU allocation status at each 20 MHz.

Similar to the HE-SIG-B field in the above 802.11ax standard, as shown in fig. 1f, in the 802.11be standard, the PPDU may include a legacy-short-training field (L-STF), a legacy-long-training field (L-LTF), a legacy-signal field (L-SIG), a repeated legacy-signal field (RL-SIG), a common field symbol 1(U-SIG SYM1), a common field symbol 2(U-SIG SYM2), an ultra high throughput signaling field (EHT-SIG), an ETH-STF field, an ETH-LTF field, and a data field.

The U-SIG field may include a version-independent field, a version-dependent field, a cyclic redundancy field, and a tail field, among others. The EHT-SIG field may include a legacy common field and a legacy user-specific field. The legacy user specific field may further include a padding field, and the bit value setting in the padding field is not limited and may be set to an arbitrary value.

Specifically, in the 802.11be standard, a 5-bit number of EHT-SIG symbols (number of EHT-SIG symbols) field in the U-SIG field may be used to indicate the number of OFDM symbols of the immediately following EHT-SIG field, which may indicate up to 32 OFDM symbols.

Further, after the receiving device receives the PPDU including the U-SIG field and the EHT-SIG field, the length of a legacy user specific field in the EHT-SIG field may be determined according to a legacy common field in the U-SIG field and the EHT-SIG field, and the length of a padding field in the legacy user specific field may be determined according to the length of the user specific field and the length of the user field; and determining a legacy user field of the receiving device among a plurality of legacy user fields of the legacy user specific field according to the resource unit allocation subfield in the legacy common field.

It should be noted that, in the 802.11be standard, the receiving device determines a specific description of the legacy user field of the receiving device among the multiple legacy user fields of the legacy user specific field according to the resource unit allocation subfield in the legacy common field, which may refer to the above-mentioned 802.11ax standard, and the receiving device determines a related description of the legacy user field of the receiving device among the multiple legacy user fields of the legacy user specific field according to the resource unit allocation subfield in the legacy common field, which is not described in detail.

Currently, with the continuous advancement of the standard, there have been some discussions about release 1(release 1, R1) devices and release 2(release2, R2) devices of EHT in the 802.11be standard, aiming to divide the technical research into two stages, wherein, the R1 device can meet the requirements of the first stage technical protocol, and for the R2 device, due to the introduction of new features, the R2 device can support more features and functions, such as hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ), multiple access points (multiple access points, multiple-AP), and so on.

However, in the 802.11be standard, there are no more reserved bits available in the U-SIG field and the legacy common field and legacy user specific field in the EHT-SIG field, for example, the number of bits available in the U-SIG field is 5, the number of bits in the valid field is 3, and some bits have other reservation purposes; the number of bits of the ignore field that can be used by the legacy common field in the EHT-SIG is 4, the legacy user specific field has a 1-bit reservation in non-multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (non-MU-MIMO) mode, and there are no remaining reserved bits in MU-MIMO mode.

When the R1 device reads the valid field, if the 1 bit is not a value specified in the communication protocol, the R1 device stops subsequent reading; ignoring a field, i.e., the R1 device, does not have to be aware of the value of the field, and has no meaning to the operation of the R1 device.

Based on the above situation that the reserved number of bits of available signaling in the existing PPDU field is small, as shown in fig. 1g, one or more bits may be used in the U-SIG field for indicating subsequent R2 signaling, and an additional bit is added in the EHT-SIG field to indicate R2 signaling of the R2 device, where the R2 signaling may be fields such as an additional signaling field, a multi-AP signaling field, and a HARQ signaling field.

For example, taking 1 bit at the U-SIG field to indicate subsequent R2 signaling as an example, the 1 bit may be set to 1 to indicate that the R2 signaling field of the R2 device exists after the EHT-SIG field, or the 1 bit is set to 0 to indicate that the R2 signaling field of the R2 device does not exist after the EHT-SIG field.

However, the above method only provides a method for indicating whether the R2 signaling field of the R2 device exists in the PPDU, and details of the R2 signaling field are not designed. Therefore, based on the situation that the number of reserved bits of the available signaling in the conventional PPDU field is small, how to support the R2 device with many features and functions becomes a technical problem to be solved urgently.

In order to solve the foregoing technical problem, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, where a first device may receive a PPDU that includes an extended common field and/or an extended function field and is sent by a second device, and parse the PPDU; wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device may determine the common configuration information of the first characteristic according to the extended common field; determining configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device. In the embodiment of the application, an extension common field and/or an extension function field are/is added in a PPDU, common configuration information of a first characteristic is indicated by using the extension common field, and configuration information of the first characteristic of an R2 device is indicated by using the extension function field. The R2 device with more features and functions can be well supported by expanding the public field and/or the function expanding field.

The following detailed description of embodiments of the present application refers to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, where as shown in fig. 2, the communication system may include an access point device and a station device.

The access point device may be an Access Point (AP), and the station device may be a Station (STA)

For example, the AP may be a device supporting multiple WLAN standards such as 802.11a/b/g standard, 802.11n standard, 802.11ac standard, 802.11ax standard, or 802.11be standard.

For example, the AP may be a terminal device or a network device with a WiFi chip. The AP may also be an access point for a mobile subscriber to enter a wired network, and is mainly deployed in a home, a building, and a campus, where a typical coverage radius is several tens of meters to hundreds of meters, and certainly may also be deployed outdoors. The AP is equivalent to a bridge connected with a network and a wireless network, and mainly functions to connect the clients of the wireless networks together and then access the wireless networks to the ethernet. The AP may also be a terminal device or a network device with a WiFi chip.

For example, the STA may be a device supporting multiple WLAN systems, such as an 802.11a/b/g standard, an 802.11n standard, an 802.11ac standard, an 802.11ax standard, or an 802.11be standard.

For example, the STA may be a wireless communication chip, a wireless sensor, or a wireless communication terminal. For example, the STA may be a mobile phone supporting a WiFi communication function, a tablet computer supporting a WiFi communication function, a set top box supporting a WiFi communication function, a smart television supporting a WiFi communication function, a smart wearable device supporting a WiFi communication function, a vehicle-mounted communication device supporting a WiFi communication function, a computer supporting a WiFi communication function, and the like, without limitation.

In the following, with reference to fig. 3 below, taking PPDU in 802.11be standard as an example in conjunction with the communication system shown in fig. 2, a description is given of a communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, where a first device may be an access point device or a station device in the communication system shown in fig. 2, and a second device may be any access point device or station device except the first device in the communication system shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application, and as shown in fig. 3, the method may include:

and step 301, the second equipment generates a PPDU.

As shown in fig. 4, the PPDU may include an extension function field.

Specifically, the extended functionality field may be used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic may be a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device.

Illustratively, the first characteristic may be one or more of: distributed resource units, HARQ signaling, multi-AP signaling, etc., without limitation.

The distributed resource unit may refer to a resource unit form in which most data subcarriers are discrete and discontinuous, and compared with a resource unit form in which most data subcarriers are continuous, frequency diversity may be enhanced, and limitation on transmission power in a regulation related to transmission power may be alleviated.

Illustratively, when the first characteristic includes a distributed resource unit, a configuration of whether to use the distributed resource unit may be indicated with 1 bit, and if the configuration of the distributed resource unit is used, a specific format of the distributed resource unit under a given resource unit may be indicated with one or more bits. Wherein the given resource unit may be a resource unit given by an RU Allocation subfield field in a legacy common field. The description of the specific field of the legacy user can refer to the description of the specific field of the legacy user in fig. 1f, and is not repeated herein.

Illustratively, when the first characteristic comprises HARQ signaling, the HARQ signaling may comprise one or more of: retransmission indication (retransmission indication), process identification (process ID), HARQ type indication (such as, for example, Chain Combining (CC), redundant retransmission (IR)), redundancy version, transmission address, reception address, etc., without limitation.

Wherein, the extended function field may be used to indicate configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device, and the R2 device receiving the PPDU may configure the first characteristic according to the configuration information of the first characteristic in the extended function field itself.

For example, taking that a PPDU generated by the second device includes an extended function field, and the extended function field includes configuration information of HARQ signaling of the R2 device 1 and configuration information of multi-AP signaling of the R2 device 2 as an example, after the R2 device 1 receives the PPDU, the R2 device 1 may determine the configuration information of HARQ signaling of the R2 device 1 according to the extended function field, and configure HARQ according to the configuration information; after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device 2 may determine configuration information of multi-AP signaling of the R2 device 2 according to the extended function field, and configure the multi-AP according to the configuration information.

It should be noted that, if there is no common first characteristic between the R2 devices or there is a common first characteristic but the configuration information of the first characteristic is different, the second device may carry the configuration information of the first characteristic of each R2 device in the extended function field.

For example, taking R2 devices including R2 device 1, R2 device 2, and R2 device 3 as an example, when a second device sends PPDU to each R2 device, assuming that there is no common first characteristic among R2 device 1, R2 device 2, and R2 device 3, for example, the first characteristic of R2 device 1 is a distributed resource unit, the first characteristic of R2 device 2 is HARQ signaling, and the first characteristic of R2 device 3 is multi-AP signaling, the second device may carry configuration information of the first characteristic of each R2 device in an extended function field, so that after the R2 device 1 receives PPDU, the configuration information of the distributed resource unit is determined according to the extended function field, and the distributed resource unit is configured; after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device 2 determines configuration information of the HARQ signaling according to the extended function field, and configures HARQ; after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device 3 determines the configuration information of the multi-AP signaling according to the extended function field, and configures the multi-AP.

Optionally, based on fig. 4, the PPDU further includes a legacy common field and a legacy user field.

Wherein the legacy common field may be used to parse a legacy user field, and the legacy user field may be used to indicate configuration information of the second characteristic; the second characteristic may be a characteristic that the R1 device supports in common with the R2 device.

Specifically, the description of the legacy common field and the legacy user field may refer to the description of the EHT-SIG field in fig. 1f, which is not repeated herein.

Illustratively, the extended function field may be any one of the extended function fields shown in fig. 5 to 8 described below.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of a PPDU according to an embodiment of the present application; as shown in fig. 5, the extension characteristic field is an extension characteristic field, and the extension characteristic field may include a sub-extension common field.

In one possible design, the sub-extension common field includes first indication information and common characteristic indication information.

Wherein the first indication information is used for indicating whether the first characteristic exists or not, and the common characteristic indication information is used for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic.

Illustratively, taking the sub-extension common field including a sub-extension common field 1, a sub-extension common field 2, and a sub-extension common field 3 as an example, it is assumed that the sub-extension common field 1 corresponds to the first characteristic 1, the sub-extension common field 2 corresponds to the first characteristic 2, and the sub-extension common field 3 corresponds to the first characteristic 3. The first indication information of the sub extension common field 1 may be set to 0 to indicate that the first property 1 does not exist in the sub extension common field 1, or the first indication information of the sub extension common field 1 may be set to 1 to indicate that the first property 1 exists in the sub extension common field 1. The absence of the first property 2 in the sub-extension common field 2 is indicated by setting the first indication information of the sub-extension common field 2 to 0, or the presence of the first property 2 in the sub-extension common field 2 is indicated by setting the first indication information of the sub-extension common field 2 to 1. The first indication information of the sub extension common field 3 is set to 0 to indicate that the first characteristic 3 does not exist in the sub extension common field 3, or the first indication information of the sub extension common field 3 is set to 1 to indicate that the first characteristic 3 exists in the sub extension common field 1. If the first indication information in the sub-extension common field indicates that the first characteristic is present, the R2 device may configure the first characteristic according to the common characteristic indication information.

In yet another possible design, the sub-extension common field includes second indication information and common characteristic indication information.

Wherein the second indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic, and the common characteristic indication information is used to indicate common configuration information of the first characteristic.

For example, taking the second indication information as 1 bit as an example, the 1 bit may be set to 0 to indicate that the R2 device does not configure the first characteristic, or the 1 bit may be set to 1 to indicate that the R2 device configures the first characteristic.

When the second indication information indicates that the R2 device configures the first characteristic, the R2 device may configure the first characteristic according to the common configuration information of the first characteristic indicated by the common characteristic indication information.

In yet another possible design, the sub-extension common field includes first indication information, second indication information, and common characteristic indication information.

Wherein the first indication information may be used to indicate whether the first characteristic exists, the second indication information may be used to indicate whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic, and the common characteristic indication information is used to indicate common configuration information of the first characteristic.

Specifically, when the R2 device receives the PPDU, the R2 device may determine whether to configure the first characteristic included in each sub extension common field according to the second indication information in each sub extension common field, if the second indication information of the sub extension common field indicates that the R2 device configures the first characteristic, the R2 device may determine whether the first characteristic exists in the sub extension common field according to the first indication information in the sub extension common field, and if so, configure the first characteristic according to the common configuration information of the first characteristic.

For example, taking the example that the sub extension common field 1 corresponds to the first characteristic 1, and the sub extension common field 2 corresponds to the first characteristic 2, the R2 device may determine whether to configure the first characteristic 1 according to the second indication information in the sub extension common field 1, if it is determined that the first characteristic 1 is configured, may determine whether the first characteristic 1 exists in the sub extension common field 1 according to the first indication information in the sub extension common field 1, and if so, configure the first characteristic 1 according to the common configuration information in the sub extension common field 1. The R2 device may determine whether to configure the first property 2 according to the second indication information in the sub extension common field 2, may determine whether the first property 2 exists in the sub extension common field 2 according to the first indication information in the sub extension common field 2 if it is determined that the first property 2 is configured, and may configure the first property 2 according to the common configuration information in the sub extension common field 2 if it exists.

Different from the PPDU shown in fig. 5, fig. 6 is a frame structure schematic diagram of a PPDU provided in the embodiment of the present application; as shown in fig. 6, the PPDU may include an extension function field, where the extension function field is an extension characteristic field, and the extension characteristic field may include a sub-extension user field.

In one possible design, the sub-extension user field includes identification information and user characteristic indication information.

Wherein the identification information is used to indicate the R2 device, and the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the identification information.

For example, the identification information of the R2 device may be a station id (sta id), etc., which may be used to indicate the identification information of the R2 device, without limitation.

For example, taking the PPDU including the sub extension user field 1 and the sub extension user field 2 as an example, it is assumed that the sub extension user field 1 includes identification information of the R2 device 1 and configuration information of the first property 1, and the sub extension user field 2 includes identification information of the R2 device 2 and configuration information of the first property 2. After the R2 device 1 receives the PPDU, it may be determined that the sub-extension user field 1 is the sub-extension user field of the R2 device 1 according to the identification information, and then configure the first characteristic 1 according to the configuration information of the first characteristic 1 in the sub-extension user field 1. After the R2 device 2 receives the PPDU, it may be determined that the sub-extension user field 2 is the sub-extension user field of the R2 device 2 according to the identification information, and then configure the first characteristic 2 according to the configuration information of the first characteristic 2 in the sub-extension user field 2.

It should be noted that, in this possible design, the length of the sub-extension user field may be fixed, so that the R2 device may determine the position of the identification information in each sub-extension user field according to the length of the sub-extension user field, and further identify the identification information.

In yet another possible design, the sub-extension user field includes user characteristic indication information.

Wherein the user characteristic indication information may be used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device.

Optionally, the devices corresponding to the sub-extension user fields are the devices corresponding to the conventional user fields in sequence; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; that is, the child expansion user fields include the child expansion user field of the R1 device and the child expansion user field of the R2 device.

For example, the sub-extension user field of the R1 device may be set as a pseudo user field, the information inside the pseudo user field may be fixed or random, without limitation, and the R1 device does not need to parse the pseudo user field.

Based on the pseudo user field of the R1 device, when the second device sets the sub expansion user field, the sub expansion user field may be set according to the sequence of the devices corresponding to the legacy user field, so that the R2 device determines the position of the sub expansion user field of the R2 device in the sub expansion user field according to the position of the legacy user field of the device itself in the legacy user field.

For example, taking an example that the legacy user field sequentially includes a legacy user field of the R1 device, a legacy user field of the R2 device 1, and a legacy user field of the R2 device 2, when the second device generates the PPDU, the sub extension user field may sequentially include a sub extension user field of the R1 device, a sub extension user field of the R2 device 1, and a sub extension user field of the R2 device 2; wherein, the sub-extension user field of the R1 device is a pseudo user field. When the R2 device 1 receives the PPDU, it may be determined that the sub extension user field of the R2 device 1 is the second sub extension user field on the basis of determining that the legacy user field of the R2 device 1 is the second legacy user field. When the R2 device 2 receives the PPDU, it may be determined that the sub extension user field of the R2 device 2 is the third sub extension user field on the basis that the legacy user field of the R2 device 2 is the third legacy user field.

It should be noted that, in this possible design, the length of the sub extension user field may be fixed, so that the R2 device may determine the bit position of each sub extension user field according to the length of the sub extension user field.

In yet another possible design, the sub-extension user field includes location information and user characteristic indication information.

In one example, the location information may be used to indicate the location of the legacy user field corresponding to the child extension user field in the legacy user field; the sub extension user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the sub extension user field correspond to the same R2 device.

For example, taking the example that the PPDU includes 8 legacy user fields, and assuming that the legacy user field of the R2 device 1 is the 7 th legacy user field of the legacy user fields as an example, the second device may set the location information of the sub extension user field of the R2 device 1 to 110. After the R2 device 1 receives the PPDU, it may determine the legacy user field corresponding to each sub extension user field by analyzing the location information of each sub extension user field, determine whether the legacy user field is a legacy user field of its own according to the identification information carried in the legacy user field, and if so, determine the sub extension user field corresponding to the legacy user field as a sub extension user field of its own.

In yet another example, the location information may be used to indicate the location of the resource unit corresponding to the sub-extension user field; the resource units corresponding to the sub extension user fields and the sub extension user fields correspond to the same R2 device.

Specifically, after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device may analyze location information of each sub-extension user field, determine a resource unit corresponding to each sub-extension user field, determine whether the resource unit is a resource unit of its own according to the R2 device corresponding to the resource unit, and if so, determine the sub-extension user field corresponding to the resource unit as the sub-extension user field of its own.

In yet another example, the location information may be used to indicate frequency bands and user locations.

Illustratively, the location information is 8 bits, wherein a part of the bits may be used to indicate the corresponding frequency band, and another part of the bits is used to indicate to inform the second user. For example, 4 bits may inform that the corresponding band is the several 20MHz, and 4 bits are used to inform the several users. By placing the location information in the header of each sub-extension user field, each R2 device can find its corresponding sub-extension user field.

Optionally, after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device further determines a position of the sub extension user field of the R2 device in the sub extension user field by using a bitmap indication method based on bandwidth granularity.

For example, taking a bitmap indication with 8 bits (or 16 bits) for 320MHz as an example, 1 may indicate that the corresponding 20MHz is related to the configuration of the R2 device, and 0 indicates that the corresponding 20MHz is not related, so that in the sub extension user field later, information of the user served at 20MHz corresponding to 0 may no longer indicate, for example, there is no sub extension user field corresponding to the 20 MHz. The 8 bits or 16 bits can be determined according to whether different content channel information is used differently or identically, and besides the fixed bit number, the bit number can also be changed along with the bandwidth change, which is not limited.

It should be noted that the above definitions of 0 and 1 may be replaced, that is, 0 indicates that the corresponding 20MHz is related to the configuration of the R2 device, and 1 indicates that the device is not related, which is not limited.

Further, the R2 device may determine, by combining with the above multiple possible designs, the position of the sub extension user field of the R2 device in the sub extension user field based on a bitmap indication method of bandwidth granularity, which is not described in detail.

Optionally, after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device determines the position of the sub extension user field of the R2 device in the sub extension user field by using a bit map method indicated one by one.

For example, since a maximum of 9 users can be served in each 20MHz, a bitmap may be used to indicate that each user corresponding to the foregoing RU Allocation subfield is an R1 device or an R2 device, and taking the data packet bandwidth as 320MHz as an example, 16 × 9 — 144 bits may be used to indicate that each user is an R1 device or an R2 device, respectively; if different CC contents are used differently, 8 × 9 ═ 72 bits can be used to indicate that each user is an R1 device or an R2 device, respectively. Where 1 may represent an R2 device and 0 may represent an R1 device. The order of the child expansion user fields of the R2 device in the child expansion user fields can be known in the order of 1. Alternatively, 1 may be used to indicate that there is a sub extension user field corresponding to the R2 device in the sub extension user field, and 0 may be used to indicate that there is no sub extension user field corresponding to the R2 device in the sub extension user field. In addition, for 9 bits, the valid indication is only the valid position in 9 bits, and if there are 2 users on one RU Allocation subframe, only the first 2 bits are valid information.

It should be noted that, in the above possible design, in the design in which the number of bits is related to the setting of the CC, if the CC is different, the number of bits required may be shortened, which is not limited. In addition, the location of the CC where the sub-extension user field of the same R2 device is located may coincide with the location of the CC where the legacy user field of the R2 device is located.

Further, any two or more of the above possible designs may also be used in combination without limitation.

Based on the above-mentioned multiple possible designs, the sub-extension user field may further include third indication information.

Wherein the third indication information may be used to indicate whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information.

Exemplarily, taking the third indication information as 1 bit as an example, the first characteristic may be configured not according to the user characteristic indication information by setting the 1 bit to 0 to indicate the R2 device, or the first characteristic may be configured according to the user characteristic indication information by setting the 1 bit to 1 to indicate the R2 device.

In another example, taking the third indication information as a plurality of bits as an example, assuming that in the sub-extension user field 1 of the R2 device 1, the first characteristic includes a first characteristic 1, a first characteristic 2 and a first characteristic 3, the third indication information may indicate by 010 that the R2 device 1 configures the second characteristic 2.

Based on the PPDUs shown in fig. 5 and fig. 6, fig. 7 is a frame structure of a PPDU according to an embodiment of the present application; the PPDU may include an extension function field, as shown in fig. 7, where the extension function field is an extension property field, and the extension property field may include a sub-extension common field as shown in fig. 5 and a sub-extension user field as shown in fig. 6.

The specific description of the sub-extension common field may refer to the description of the sub-extension common field in fig. 5, and the description of the sub-extension user field may refer to the description of the sub-extension user field in fig. 6, which is not described in detail.

Optionally, the sub extension common field further includes indication information for indicating the length of the sub extension user field.

The length of the sub-extension public field can be fixed, and the length of the sub-extension user field can be fixed or variable, and is not limited.

For example, when the length of the sub extension user field is a fixed value, taking the sub extension user field including the bit of the first property 1 as an example, assuming that the R2 device does not configure the first property 1, the bit of the first property 1 in the sub extension user field may still be reserved, and at this time, the bit of the first property 1 may be set to a null value.

For example, when the length of the sub extension user field is a variable value, taking the example that the sub extension user field includes the bit of the first property 1, assuming that the R2 device does not configure the first property 1, the sub extension user field may not include the bit of the first property 1.

Optionally, the sub-extension common field further includes one or more of the following: fourth indication information and fifth indication information.

Wherein, the fourth indication information may be used to indicate the type of the sub-extension user field.

Wherein the fifth indication information may be used to indicate whether the sub extension user field of the R2 device exists.

For example, taking the example that the R2 device sequentially includes the R2 device 1, the R2 device 2, and the R2 device 3, assuming that the fifth indication information is 010, it may be determined that the sub-extension user field of the R2 device 2 exists.

Optionally, the sub-extension common field further includes first common user information.

Wherein the first common user information is used for indicating the common configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub extension user field.

Illustratively, the first public user information may include one or more of: the length of the next field, the MCS of the next field, the format of the next field, etc., without limitation.

Different from the PPDUs shown in fig. 5 to 7, fig. 8 is a frame structure diagram of a PPDU according to an embodiment of the present application; the PPDU may include an extension function field, as shown in fig. 8, where the extension characteristic field may be an extension user field.

In one possible design, the extension user field includes identification information and user characteristic indication information.

Illustratively, taking the PPDU including an extension user field 1 and an extension user field 2 as an example, it is assumed that the extension user field 1 includes identification information of the R2 device 1, configuration information of the first characteristic 1, and configuration information of the first characteristic 2, and the extension user field 2 includes identification information of the R2 device 2, configuration information of the first characteristic 2, and configuration information of the first characteristic 3. After the R2 device 1 receives the PPDU, it may determine that the extended user field 1 is the extended user field of the R2 device 1 according to the identification information, and further configure the first characteristic 1 and the first characteristic 2 according to the configuration information of the first characteristic 1 and the configuration information of the first characteristic 2 in the extended user field 1. After the R2 device 2 receives the PPDU, it may be determined that the extended user field 2 is the extended user field of the R2 device 2 according to the identification information, and then configure the first characteristic 2 and the first characteristic 3 according to the configuration information of the first characteristic 2 and the configuration information of the first characteristic 3 in the extended user field 2.

It should be noted that, in this possible design, the length of the extension user field may be fixed, so that the R2 device may determine the position of the identification information in each extension user field according to the length of the extension user field, and further identify the identification information.

In yet another possible design, the extension user field includes user characteristic indication information.

Optionally, the devices corresponding to the expanded user fields are devices corresponding to the traditional user fields in sequence; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; that is, the extensibility user fields include the extensibility user field of the R1 device and the extensibility user field of the R2 device.

For example, the extension user field of the R1 device may be set as a pseudo user field, and the information inside the pseudo user field may be fixed or random, without limitation, and the R1 device does not need to parse the pseudo user field.

Based on the pseudo user field of the R1 device, when the second device sets the extension user field, the extension user field may be set according to the order of the devices corresponding to the legacy user field, so that the R2 device determines the position of the extension user field of the R2 device in the extension user field according to the position of the legacy user field of the R2 device in the legacy user field.

For example, taking an example that the legacy user field sequentially includes a legacy user field of an R1 device, a legacy user field of an R2 device 1, and a legacy user field of an R2 device 2, when the second device generates a PPDU, the extension user field may sequentially include an extension user field of an R1 device, an extension user field of an R2 device 1, and an extension user field of an R2 device 2; wherein, the extension user field of the R1 device is a pseudo user field. When the R2 device 1 receives the PPDU, it may be determined that the extension user field of the R2 device 1 is the second extension user field on the basis of determining that the legacy user field of the R2 device 1 is the second legacy user field. When the R2 device 2 receives the PPDU, it may be determined that the extension user field of the R2 device 2 is the third extension user field on the basis that the legacy user field of the R2 device 2 is the third legacy user field.

It should be noted that, in this possible design, the length of the extension user field may be fixed, so that the R2 device may determine the bit position of each extension user field according to the length of the extension user field.

In yet another possible design, the extension user field includes location information and user characteristic indication information.

Wherein the user characteristic indicating information may be used for configuration information indicating a first characteristic of the R2 device.

In one example, the location information may be used to indicate the location of the legacy user field in the legacy user field corresponding to the extension user field; the extension user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the extension user field correspond to the same R2 device.

For example, taking the example that the PPDU includes 8 legacy user fields, and assuming that the legacy user field of the R2 device 1 is the 7 th legacy user field of the legacy user fields as an example, the second device may set the location information of the extension user field of the R2 device 1 to 110. After the R2 device 1 receives the PPDU, it may determine the legacy user field corresponding to each extended user field by analyzing the location information of each extended user field, determine whether the legacy user field is a legacy user field of its own according to the identification information carried in the legacy user field, and if so, determine the extended user field corresponding to the legacy user field as an extended user field of its own.

In yet another example, the location information may be used to indicate the location of the resource unit corresponding to the extension user field; resource units corresponding to the extension user field and the extension user field correspond to the same R2 equipment.

Specifically, after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device may analyze location information of each extended user field, determine a resource unit corresponding to each extended user field, determine whether the resource unit is a resource unit of its own according to the R2 device corresponding to the resource unit, and if so, determine the extended user field corresponding to the resource unit as an extended user field of its own.

Illustratively, the location information is 8 bits, wherein a part of the bits may be used to indicate the corresponding frequency band, and another part of the bits is used to indicate to inform the second user. For example, 4 bits may inform that the corresponding band is the several 20MHz, and 4 bits are used to inform the several users. By placing the location information in the header of each extension user field, each R2 device can find its corresponding extension user field.

Optionally, after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device further determines a position of an extension user field of the R2 device in the extension user field by using a bitmap indication method based on bandwidth granularity.

For example, taking a bitmap indication with 8 bits (or 16 bits) for 320MHz as an example, 1 may indicate that the corresponding 20MHz is related to the configuration of the R2 device, and 0 indicates that the corresponding 20MHz is not related, so that in the extended user field later, information of the user served at 20MHz corresponding to 0 may no longer indicate, for example, there is no extended user field corresponding to 20 MHz. The 8 bits or 16 bits can be determined according to whether different content channel information is used differently or identically, and besides the fixed bit number, the bit number can also be changed along with the bandwidth change, which is not limited.

Further, the R2 device may determine, by combining with the above multiple possible designs, the position of the extended user field of the R2 device in the extended user field based on a bitmap indication method of bandwidth granularity, which is not described in detail.

Optionally, after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device determines, by using a bit map method indicated one by one, a position of an extension user field of the R2 device in the extension user field.

For example, since at most 9 users can be served in each 20MHz, a bitmap may be used to indicate that each user corresponding to the foregoing RU Allocation subframe is an R1 device or an R2 device, and taking the data packet bandwidth as 320MHz as an example, 16 × 9 bits or 144 bits may be used to indicate that each user is an R1 device or an R2 device, respectively; if different CC contents are used differently, 8 × 9 ═ 72 bits can be used to indicate that each user is an R1 device or an R2 device, respectively. Where 1 may represent an R2 device and 0 may represent an R1 device. The order of the extension user fields of the R2 device in the extension user fields can be known in the order of 1. Alternatively, 1 may be used to indicate that there is an extension user field corresponding to an R2 device in the extension user field, and 0 may be used to indicate that there is no extension user field corresponding to an R2 device in the extension user field. In addition, for 9 bits, the valid indication is only the valid position in 9 bits, and if there are 2 users on one RU Allocation subframe, only the first 2 bits are valid information.

It should be noted that, in the above possible design, in the design in which the number of bits is related to the setting of the CC, if the CC is different, the number of bits required may be shortened, which is not limited. In addition, the CC location where the extension user field of the same R2 device is located is the same as the CC location where the legacy user field of the R2 device is located.

Based on the above-mentioned multiple possible designs, the extension user field may further include third indication information.

Illustratively, taking the third indication information as 1 bit as an example, the first characteristic may be configured not according to the user characteristic indication information by setting the 1 bit to 0 to indicate the R2 device, or the first characteristic may be configured according to the user characteristic indication information by setting the 1 bit to 1 to indicate the R2 device.

In another example, taking the third indication information as a plurality of bits as an example, assuming that in the extension user field 1 of the R2 device 1, the first characteristic includes a first characteristic 1, a first characteristic 2 and a first characteristic 3, the third indication information may indicate by 010 that the R2 device 1 configures the second characteristic 2.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, only the extended function field is added on the basis of the conventional common field and the conventional user field to indicate the first characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device, and it is understood that the PPDU may further include other fields as shown in fig. 1f, which are not described herein again.

Step 302, the second device sends a PPDU to the first device. Accordingly, the first device receives the PPDU.

In one possible design, when the first device includes an R1 device and an R2 device, the extended function field is located in a padding region in an EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

Specifically, the second device sets the extended function field in a padding region in an EHT-SIG field of the PPDU, and adjusts an EHT-SIG symbol digital field used for indicating the length of the EHT-SIG field in the U-SIG field according to the length of the padding region, so that when the R1 device parses the received PPDU, the length of the padding region in the specific field of the legacy user is determined according to the U-SIG field and the legacy common field. For the description of the specific field of the traditional user, reference may be made to the description of the specific field of the traditional user in fig. 1f, which is not repeated herein.

Because the R1 device does not need to parse the padding area in the EHT-SIG field, that is, the R1 device does not parse the extended function field in the padding area, the R1 device is prevented from being affected by the extended function field, and the R1 device is ensured to work normally.

For example, as shown in (a) of fig. 9, the OFDM symbol where the start position of the extended function field is located may be separated from the OFDM symbol where the end position of the last legacy user field of the PPDU is located by N OFDM symbols, and the N OFDM symbols may be padding fields.

Optionally, the extended function field starts from the next OFDM symbol after the OFDM symbol where the termination position of the last legacy user field of the PPDU is located.

Further, as shown in (b) of fig. 9, a padding field is further included after the extended function field, and the length of the padding field may be arbitrarily set, without limitation.

Optionally, when the data packet bandwidth is greater than or equal to 80MHz, the second device sends the PPDU carrying the extended function field to the first device through at least two content channels.

For example, the extended functionality field may be located in at least two content channels, after the last legacy user field in the EHT-SIG field where the legacy user-specific field is longer.

Wherein the EHT-SIG field comprises a legacy user-specific field; the legacy user specific field includes a legacy user field.

For example, as shown in (b) of fig. 9, taking as an example that the second device sends a PPDU carrying an extended function field to the first device through two content channels, the extended function field may be located in the two content channels, after the last legacy user field in the EHT-SIG field with a longer legacy user specific field.

In yet another example, the extended functionality field may be located in at least two content channels, each content channel following a last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field.

For example, as shown in (c) of fig. 9, taking as an example that the second device sends a PPDU carrying an extended function field to the first device through two content channels, the extended function field may be located in the two content channels after the last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

In yet another possible design, the extended functionality field is located after the EHT-SIG field when the first device includes only R2 devices.

Illustratively, as shown in fig. 9 (d), the extended function field may start at the next OFDM symbol after the EHT-SIG field.

And step 303, the first device analyzes the PPDU.

Wherein, when the first device is an R1 device, the R1 device may determine configuration information of the second characteristic of the R1 device from a legacy common field and a legacy user field of the PPDU according to the received PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R1 device.

Wherein, when the first device is an R2 device, the R2 device may determine configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device from a legacy common field and a legacy user field of the PPDU according to the received PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device.

It should be noted that, for the specific description of the configuration of the second characteristic by the R1 device and the R2 device according to the conventional common field and the conventional user field, reference may be made to the related description in the 802.11be standard, which is not repeated.

The R2 device may further determine, according to the received PPDU, configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device from an extended function field of the PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device.

In the description of the first characteristic and the second characteristic in the embodiments of the present application, the first characteristic may also be understood as an extended characteristic of the second characteristic.

For example, taking the second characteristic as an example of a configuration of a spatial stream, assuming that x bits indicate the configuration of the spatial stream in a legacy user field of the R2 device, y bits may be added to an extended function field of the R2 device to indicate the configuration of the extended spatial stream, that is, the first characteristic is substantially the configuration of the extended spatial stream, and at this time, the configuration of the spatial stream of the R2 device includes the configuration of the x bits of the spatial stream and the configuration of the y bits of the spatial stream.

Based on the method shown in fig. 3, the second device may enable the R2 device to determine the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field by adding the extended function field in the PPDU. The R2 device with more features and functions can be well supported by expanding the function field.

Based on the flowchart shown in fig. 3, unlike the PPDU including the extended function field shown in fig. 4 to 9, fig. 10 is a frame structure diagram of a PPDU provided in the embodiment of the present application, where the PPDU may include an extended common field.

Specifically, referring to the flowchart of the communication method shown in fig. 3, the method may include:

and step 301, the second device generates a PPDU.

Wherein, as shown in fig. 10, the PPDU may include an extension common field.

Specifically, the extension common field may be used to indicate common configuration information of the first characteristic; the first characteristic may be a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device.

For example, when the first characteristic includes a distributed resource unit, a 1-bit may be used to indicate whether to use the configuration of the distributed resource unit, and if the configuration of the distributed resource unit is used, one or more bits may be used to indicate a specific format of the distributed resource unit in a given resource unit. Wherein the given resource unit may be a resource unit given by an RU Allocation subfield field in a legacy common field. The description of the specific field of the legacy user can refer to the description of the specific field of the legacy user in fig. 1f, and is not repeated herein.

Wherein the extension common field may be used to indicate common configuration information of the first characteristic, and the R2 device receiving the PPDU may configure the first characteristic according to the common configuration information of the first characteristic.

For example, taking that the PPDU generated by the second device includes an extension common field, and the first characteristic includes HARQ signaling and multi-AP signaling as an example, the extension common field may include common configuration information of the HARQ signaling and common configuration information of the multi-AP signaling, and when the R2 device 1 and the R2 device 2 receive the PPDU, both the R2 device 1 and the R2 device 2 may configure HARQ according to the common configuration information of the HARQ signaling, and configure the multi-AP according to the common configuration information of the multi-AP.

It should be noted that, when the second device sends a PPDU to each R2 device, if the first characteristic shared among the R2 devices exists and the configuration information of the first characteristic is the same, the second device may carry the common configuration information of the first characteristic shared among the R2 devices in the extended common field, thereby reducing signaling overhead and reducing processing complexity of the second device and each R2 device.

For example, taking the example that the R2 device includes R2 device 1, R2 device 2, and R2 device 3, when the second device sends PPDUs to each R2 device, assuming that there is a common HARQ signaling among the R2 device 1, the R2 device 2, and the R2 device 3, and configuration information of the HARQ signaling of each R2 device is the same, the second device may carry the configuration information of the HARQ signaling in the extension common field, so that after each R2 device receives the PPDU, the HARQ is configured according to the common configuration information of the HARQ signaling in the extension common field.

In one possible design, the extension common field includes first indication information and common characteristic indication information.

For example, taking the first characteristics including the first characteristic 1, the first characteristic 2, and the first characteristic 3 as an example, assuming that the first indication information is 3 bits, the R2 device may determine whether each first characteristic exists according to the 3 bits, for example, taking the first indication information as 011 as an example, the R2 device may determine, according to the first indication information, that the first characteristic 2 exists in the extended common field, and the first characteristic 1 and the first characteristic 3 do not exist, determine, according to the common characteristic indication information, the common configuration information of the first characteristic 2, and configure the first characteristic 2 according to the common configuration information of the first characteristic 2.

In yet another possible design, the extension common field includes second indication information and common characteristic indication information.

In yet another possible design, the extension common field includes first indication information, second indication information, and common characteristic indication information.

Wherein the first indication information is used for indicating whether the first characteristic exists, the second indication information is used for indicating whether the R2 equipment configures the first characteristic, and the common characteristic indication information is used for indicating the common configuration information of the first characteristic.

Specifically, when the R2 device receives the PPDU, the R2 device may determine whether the first characteristic is configured according to the second indication information, and if the second indication information indicates that the R2 device configures the first characteristic, the R2 device may determine the first characteristic existing in the extended common field indicated by the first indication information according to the first indication information and configure the first characteristic according to the common configuration information of the first characteristic in the common characteristic indication information.

Illustratively, taking the first characteristics as first characteristics 1, first characteristics 2 and first characteristics 3, the first indication information being 011, and the second indication information being 1 as an example, the R2 device determines, according to the second indication information, that the R2 device needs to configure the first characteristics, further determines, according to the first indication information, that the first characteristics existing in the expanded common field include the first characteristics 2 and the first characteristics 3, and determines, according to the common characteristic indication information, common configuration information of the first characteristics 2 and common configuration information of the first characteristics 3, thereby configuring the first characteristics 2 and the first characteristics 3.

Optionally, based on fig. 10, the PPDU further includes a legacy common field and a legacy user field.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the present application, an extended common field is only added on the basis of a conventional common field and a conventional user field to indicate a first characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device, and it is understood that the PPDU may further include other fields as shown in fig. 1f, which are not described in detail herein.

In one possible design, when the first device includes an R1 device and an R2 device, the extension common field is located in a padding region in an EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

Specifically, the second device sets the extension public field in a padding region in an EHT-SIG field of the PPDU, and adjusts an EHT-SIG symbol digital field used for indicating the length of the EHT-SIG field in the U-SIG field according to the length of the padding region, so that when the R1 device parses the received PPDU, the length of the padding region in the specific field of the legacy user is determined according to the U-SIG field and the legacy public field. For the description of the specific field of the traditional user, reference may be made to the description of the specific field of the traditional user in fig. 1f, which is not repeated herein.

Because the R1 device does not need to analyze the padding area in the EHT-SIG field, that is, the R1 device does not analyze the extended public field in the padding area, the R1 device is prevented from being affected by the extended public field, and the R1 device can work normally.

For example, as shown in (a) of fig. 11, the OFDM symbol where the start position of the extended common field is located may be separated from the OFDM symbol where the end position of the last legacy user field of the PPDU is located by N OFDM symbols, and the N OFDM symbols may be padding fields.

Optionally, the extended common field starts from the next OFDM symbol after the OFDM symbol where the termination position of the last legacy user field of the PPDU is located.

Further, as shown in (a) of fig. 11, a padding field is further included after the common field is extended, and the length of the padding field may be arbitrarily set, without limitation.

Optionally, when the data packet bandwidth is greater than or equal to 80MHz, the second device sends the PPDU carrying the extended common field to the first device through at least two content channels.

For example, the extended common field may be located in at least two content channels, after the last legacy user field in the EHT-SIG field where the legacy user-specific field is longer.

For example, as shown in fig. 11 (b), taking as an example that the second device sends a PPDU carrying an extended common field and/or an extended function field to the first device through two content channels, the extended common field may be located in the two content channels after a last legacy user field in an EHT-SIG field in which a legacy user specific field is longer.

In yet another example, the extended common field may be located in at least two content channels, each content channel following a last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field.

For example, as shown in (c) of fig. 11, taking as an example that the second device sends a PPDU carrying the extension common field to the first device through two content channels, the extension common field may be located in the two content channels after the last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

In yet another possible design, the extension common field is located after the EHT-SIG field when the first device includes only R2 devices.

Illustratively, as shown in fig. 11 (d), the extended common field may start at the next OFDM symbol after the EHT-SIG field.

And step 303, the first device analyzes the PPDU.

Wherein, when the first device is the R1 device, the R1 device may determine the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R1 device from a legacy common field and a legacy user field of the PPDU according to the received PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R1 device.

The R2 device may further determine, according to the received PPDU, configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device from an extension common field of the PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device.

For example, taking the second characteristic as an example of the configuration of the spatial stream, assuming that x bits in the legacy user field of the R2 device indicate the configuration of the spatial stream, y bits may be added in the extension common field to indicate the configuration of the extended spatial stream, that is, the first characteristic is substantially the configuration of the extended spatial stream, and in this case, the configuration of the spatial stream of the R2 device includes the configuration of the x-bit spatial stream and the configuration of the y-bit spatial stream.

Based on the method shown in fig. 3, the second device may enable the R2 device to determine the common configuration information of the first characteristic according to the extension common field by adding the extension common field in the PPDU. The R2 device with more features and functions can be well supported by expanding the common field.

Based on the flowchart shown in fig. 3, and by combining the extended function field shown in fig. 4 to fig. 8 and the extended common field shown in fig. 10, fig. 12 is a frame structure schematic diagram of a PPDU provided in the embodiment of the present application, where the PPDU may include the extended common field shown in fig. 10 and any one of the extended function fields shown in fig. 4 to fig. 8.

and step 301, the second equipment generates a PPDU.

As shown in fig. 12, the PPDU may include an extension common field and an extension function field.

Specifically, the extension common field may be used to indicate common configuration information of the first characteristic; the extended functionality field may be used to indicate configuration information for a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic may be a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device.

The description of the extended common field may refer to the description of the extended common field in fig. 10, and the description of the extended function field may refer to the descriptions of the extended function field in fig. 4 to 8, which are not repeated.

Optionally, the extended common field is used to parse the extended function field.

For example, the extension common field may include indication information for indicating the length of the extension function field, and after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device may determine the length of the extension function field according to the indication information for indicating the length of the extension function field in the extension common field.

For example, the extension common field may include indication information for indicating a total length of the extension common field and the extension function field, and after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device may determine the total length of the extension common field and the extension function field according to the indication information for indicating the total length of the extension common field and the extension function field in the extension common field.

Optionally, the extension common field includes second common user information.

Wherein the second common user information may be used to indicate common configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the extended function field.

Illustratively, the second public user information may be one or more of: the length of the next field, the MCS of the next field, the format of the next field, etc., without limitation.

It should be noted that, when the second device sends a PPDU to each R2 device, if a common first characteristic exists between the R2 devices and configuration information of the first characteristic is the same or part of the configuration information is the same, the second device may carry the common configuration information of the first characteristic shared between the R2 devices in the extended common field, thereby reducing signaling overhead and reducing processing complexity of the second device and each R2 device. If there is no common first characteristic between the R2 devices, or there is a common first characteristic, but the configuration information of the first characteristic is different, the second device may carry the configuration information of the first characteristic of each R2 device in the extended function field, that is, the extended common field does not include the common configuration information of the first characteristic.

For example, taking the R2 device including the R2 device 1, the R2 device 2, and the R2 device 3 as an example, when the second device sends PPDUs to each R2 device, assuming that there is a common HARQ signaling among the R2 device 1, the R2 device 2, and the R2 device 3, and the configuration information part of the HARQ signaling of each R2 device is the same, the second device may carry the same part in the configuration information of the HARQ signaling of each R2 device in the extended common field, and carry different parts in the extended function field of each R2 device, respectively, so that after each R2 device receives the PPDU, configure a part of HARQ according to the common configuration information of the HARQ signaling in the extended common field, determine the remaining configuration information of its own HARQ signaling according to the extended function field, and configure the remaining part of HARQ according to the remaining configuration information.

For another example, taking the R2 device including the R2 device 1, the R2 device 2, and the R2 device 3 as an example, when the second device sends PPDUs to each R2 device, assuming that there is no common first characteristic among the R2 device 1, the R2 device 2, and the R2 device 3, for example, the first characteristic of the R2 device 1 is a distributed resource unit, the first characteristic of the R2 device 2 is HARQ signaling, and the first characteristic of the R2 device 3 is multi-AP signaling, the second device may carry configuration information of the first characteristic of each R2 device in an extended function field, so that after the R2 device 1 receives PPDUs, the configuration information of the distributed resource unit is determined according to the extended function field, and the distributed resource unit is configured; after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device 2 determines configuration information of the HARQ signaling according to the extended function field, and configures HARQ; after receiving the PPDU, the R2 device 3 determines the configuration information of the multi-AP signaling according to the extended function field, and configures the multi-AP.

Optionally, based on fig. 12 above, the PPDU further includes a legacy common field and a legacy user field.

Illustratively, the PPDU shown in fig. 12 may be a PPDU shown in fig. 13 described below, and as shown in fig. 13, the PPDU may include the extension common field shown in fig. 10 described above and any one of the extension characteristic fields shown in fig. 5 to 7 described above. The PPDU shown in fig. 12 may also be a PPDU shown in fig. 14 described below, and as shown in fig. 14, the PPDU may include an extension common field shown in fig. 10 described above and an extension user field shown in fig. 8 described above.

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of a PPDU according to an embodiment of the present application; wherein the PPDU may include the extension common field as shown in fig. 10 and the extension characteristic field as shown in any one of fig. 5 to 7.

The description of the extended common field and the extended characteristic field may refer to the description of the extended common field and the extended characteristic field, and is not repeated.

Optionally, the extension common field further includes indication information for indicating the length of the extension user field.

The length of the extension common field may be fixed, and the length of the extension characteristic field may be fixed or variable, without limitation.

Optionally, the extension common field further includes seventh indication information.

Wherein, the seventh indication information may be used to indicate whether an extension characteristic field of the R2 device exists.

For example, taking the example that the R2 device sequentially includes the R2 device 1, the R2 device 2, and the R2 device 3, assuming that the seventh indication information is 010, it may be determined that the extended user field of the R2 device 2 exists.

Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of a PPDU according to an embodiment of the present application; wherein, the PPDU may include the extension common field as shown in fig. 10 and the extension user field as shown in fig. 8.

The length of the extension public field may be fixed, and the length of the extension user field may be fixed or variable, without limitation.

For example, when the length of the extended user field is a fixed value, taking the extended user field including the bit of the first property 1 and the bit of the first property 2 as an example, assuming that the R2 device does not configure the first property 2, the bit of the first property 2 in the extended user field may still be reserved, and at this time, the bit of the first property 2 may be set to a null value.

For example, when the length of the extension user field is a variable value, taking the extension user field including the bits of the first characteristic 1 and the bits of the first characteristic 2 as an example, assuming that the R2 device does not configure the first characteristic 2, the extension user field may include the bits of the first characteristic 1 without reserving the bits of the first characteristic 2.

Wherein, the seventh indication information may be used to indicate whether an extension user field of the R2 device exists.

Optionally, based on the extended common field shown in fig. 12 to 14, the extended common field further includes second common user information.

Wherein the second common user information is used for indicating the common configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the extended function field.

Optionally, based on the extension common field shown in fig. 12 to 14, the extension common field further includes sixth indication information.

The sixth indication information may be used to indicate a type of an extended function field, where the type of the extended function field may be the extended function field shown in fig. 5, or the extended function field shown in fig. 6, or the extended function field shown in fig. 7, or the extended function field shown in fig. 8, and is not limited.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of the present application, only the extension common field and the extension function field are added on the basis of the conventional common field and the conventional user field to indicate the first characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device, and it is understood that the PPDU may further include other fields shown in fig. 1f as described above, which are not described in detail.

In one possible design, when the first device includes an R1 device and an R2 device, the extension common field and the extension function field are located in a padding region in an EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

Specifically, the second device sets the extension public field and the extension function field in a padding region of an EHT-SIG field of the PPDU, and adjusts an EHT-SIG symbol digital field used for indicating the length of the EHT-SIG field in the U-SIG field according to the length of the padding region, so that when the R1 device parses the received PPDU, the length of the padding region in the specific field of the legacy user is determined according to the U-SIG field and the legacy public field. For the description of the specific field of the traditional user, reference may be made to the description of the specific field of the traditional user in fig. 1f, which is not repeated herein.

Because the R1 device does not need to analyze the padding area in the EHT-SIG field, that is, the R1 device does not analyze the extended common field and the extended function field in the padding area, the R1 device is prevented from being affected by the extended common field and the extended function field, and the R1 device can normally operate.

For example, as shown in fig. 15 (a), an OFDM symbol where the start position of the extended common field and the extended function field are located may be separated from an OFDM symbol where the end position of the last legacy user field of the PPDU is located by N OFDM symbols, and the N OFDM symbols may be padding fields.

Optionally, the extension common field and the extension function field start from the next OFDM symbol after the OFDM symbol where the termination position of the last legacy user field of the PPDU is located.

Further, as shown in (a) of fig. 15, a padding field is further included after the extension common field and the extension function field, and the length of the padding field may be arbitrarily set, without limitation.

Optionally, when the data packet bandwidth is greater than or equal to 80MHz, the second device sends the PPDU carrying the extension common field and the extension function field to the first device through at least two content channels.

Illustratively, the extended common field and the extended functionality field may be located in at least two content channels, after a last legacy user field in the EHT-SIG field where the legacy user-specific field is longer.

For example, as shown in (b) in fig. 15, taking as an example that the second device sends a PPDU carrying an extended common field and an extended function field to the first device through two content channels, the extended common field and the extended function field may be located in the two content channels after a last legacy user field in an EHT-SIG field in which a legacy user specific field is longer.

In yet another example, the extended common field and the extended functionality field may be located in at least two content channels, each content channel following a last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field.

For example, as shown in fig. 15 (c), taking as an example that the second device sends a PPDU carrying an extended common field and an extended function field to the first device through two content channels, the extended common field and the extended function field may be located in the two content channels after a last legacy user field of an EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

In yet another possible design, the extension common field and the extension function field are located after the EHT-SIG field when the first device includes only R2 devices.

Illustratively, as shown in (d) of fig. 15, the extended common field and the extended function field may start at the next OFDM symbol after the EHT-SIG field.

And step 303, the first device analyzes the PPDU.

The R2 device may further determine, according to the received PPDU, configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device from an extension common field and an extension function field of the PPDU, and configure the second characteristic according to the configuration information of the second characteristic of the R2 device.

In the description of the first characteristic and the second characteristic, the first characteristic may also be understood as an extended characteristic of the second characteristic in the embodiments of the present application.

For example, taking the second characteristic as an example of the configuration of the spatial stream, assuming that x bits in the legacy user field of the R2 device indicate the configuration of the spatial stream, y bits may be added in the extended function field of the R2 device to indicate the configuration of the extended spatial stream, that is, the first characteristic is substantially the configuration of the extended spatial stream, and at this time, the configuration of the spatial stream of the R2 device includes the configuration of the x-bit spatial stream and the configuration of the y-bit spatial stream.

Based on the method shown in fig. 3, the second device adds the extension common field and the extension function field in the PPDU, so that the R2 device determines the common configuration information of the first characteristic according to the extension common field, and determines the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extension function field. The R2 device with more features and functions can be well supported by expanding the common field and/or expanding the function field.

Based on the PPDU shown in fig. 3 to 15, optionally, the padding field of the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU further includes eighth indication information.

Wherein, when the PPDU is the PPDU shown in any one of fig. 4 to 9, the eighth indication information is used to indicate whether the PPDU includes an extension function field; when the PPDU is the PPDU shown in any one of fig. 10 to 11 described above, the eighth indication information is used to indicate whether the PPDU includes an extension common field; when the PPDU is the PPDU shown in any one of fig. 12 to 14 described above, the eighth indication information is used to indicate whether the PPDU includes an extension common field and an extension function field.

For example, taking the PPDU as the PPDU shown in any one of fig. 4 to 9 and the eighth indication information as 1 bit as an example, the 1 bit may be set to 0 to indicate that the PPDU does not include the extension function field, and the R2 device may not parse subsequent fields according to the eighth indication information. Alternatively, the 1 bit may be set to 1 to indicate that the PPDU includes the extended function field, and the R2 device may parse the subsequent extended function field according to the eighth indication information, so as to configure the first characteristic indicated by the extended function field.

For example, the eighth indication information may also be a preset ID, and when the PPDU includes the preset ID, it indicates that the PPDU includes an extension function field; or include an extension common field; or include an extend common field and an extend function field.

Alternatively, the eighth indication information may be located in a reserved bit of the U-SIG field, a reserved bit of the legacy common field, or a legacy user specific field, without limitation.

Wherein the reserved bits may include an effect field and an ignore field.

Optionally, the U-SIG field of the PPDU further includes ninth indication information.

The ninth indication information may be used to indicate a type of the extension common field and/or the extension function field.

Specifically, the type of the extension common field and/or the extension function field may be the frame structure shown in any one of fig. 4 to 14.

Alternatively, the ninth indication information is located in a reserved bit of the legacy common field.

Alternatively, as shown in fig. 16, when the PPDU includes the extension common field, the ninth indication information is located in the extension common field, without limitation.

Based on the PPDU described in fig. 4 to 16, a CRC field and a Tail field may be added after the extension common field or the sub-extension common field, and the CRC field and the Tail field may be added after each x extension user field or sub-extension user field, where x > is 1. Alternatively, the CRC field and the Tail field may be added after a certain number of fixed bits, without limitation.

Further, as shown in fig. 17, the meaning of the legacy user field of the R2 device may also be rewritten.

For example, when the legacy user field of the R2 device is included in the legacy user field of the PPDU, the legacy user field of the R2 device may include location information from which the location of the extended function field of the R2 device in the extended function field is determined.

For example, taking the example that the legacy user field of the PPDU includes the legacy user field of the R1 device, the legacy user field of the R2 device 1, and the legacy user field of the R2 device 2, assuming that the location information in the legacy user field of the R2 device 1 is 5 and the location information in the legacy user field of the R2 device 1 is 9, the R2 device 1 may determine, according to the location information, that the extended function field of the R2 device 1 is located at the 5 th bit in the extended function field, and the R2 device 2 may determine, according to the location information, that the extended function field of the R2 device 2 is located at the 9 th bit in the extended function field.

Optionally, the legacy user field of the R2 device further includes tenth indication information.

The tenth indication information is used for indicating whether the extended function field of the R2 device is included in the extended function field.

For example, taking the tenth indication information as 1 bit as an example, the 1 bit may be set to 0 to indicate that the extended function field of the R2 device is not included in the extended function field, and the R2 device may not parse the subsequent extended user field according to the tenth indication information. Or the 1 bit may be set to 1 to indicate that the extended function field includes an extended function field of the R2 device, and the R2 device may parse the subsequent extended function field according to the tenth indication information to determine the extended user field of the R2 device.

It should be noted that, in the PPDU described in fig. 17, the length of the legacy user field of the R2 device may be identical to the length of the legacy user field of the R1 device.

Based on the PPDUs shown in fig. 4 to 17, the extended common field and/or the extended function field of the embodiment of the present application may also be similarly used in various areas having field padding functions, such as end of frame padding (EOF padding), Pre-forward error correction padding (Pre-FEC padding), Post-forward error correction padding (Post-FEC padding), packet extension padding (packet extension field), signal padding (signal extension), and the like. And may also be used to indicate new configuration or content information provided for R2 devices, without limitation.

Unlike the PPDUs shown in fig. 4 to 17 described above, which do not change the length of the legacy user field, referring to fig. 17, the embodiment of the present application further provides a frame structure of a PPDU.

Fig. 18 is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of a PPDU according to an embodiment of the present application; wherein the PPDU may include a user specific field; the user-specific fields may include an extension user field.

Specifically, the user-specific fields may support extended user fields and legacy user fields; the number of bits of the extended user field may be equal to the sum of the number of bits of the legacy user field and the first number of bits; the first number of bits may be used to indicate configuration information for a first characteristic of the R2 device.

Wherein the R2 device may configure the first characteristic according to configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device indicated by the first number of bits.

It should be noted that, for the R1 device, a field corresponding to the first bit number in the extended user field may be a padding field, and the R1 device does not need to parse the padding field, so as to avoid the first bit number from affecting the R1 device.

For example, for an R1 device, the content of the extension user field may be { { content of R1 device }, and the padding field may be set to 0 or 1, without limitation. When reading the extended user field, the R1 device only needs to analyze the content of the R1 device, and does not need to parse the padding field, i.e. the first number of bits may be in the form of an ignored field.

Optionally, the PPDU includes a legacy common field; the legacy common field includes eleventh indication information.

The eleventh indication information may be used to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is an extended user field, or the eleventh indication information may be used to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is a legacy user field.

Alternatively, the eleventh indication information is located in the U-SIG field, without limitation.

For example, taking the eleventh indication information as 1 bit as an example, the 1 bit may be set to 0 to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is a legacy user field, or the 1 bit may be set to 1 to indicate that the user field in the user-specific field is an extended user field.

It should be noted that the length of the legacy user field may be 22 bits, and the length of the extended user field may be 32 bits, etc., without limitation.

The communication method according to the embodiment of the present application is described above, and the communication apparatus according to the embodiment of the present application is described below, where the communication apparatus according to the embodiment of the present application includes a communication apparatus applied to a transmitting end and a communication apparatus applied to a receiving end, and it should be understood that the communication apparatus applied to the transmitting end is the second device in the method and has any function of the second device in the method, and the communication apparatus applied to the receiving end is the first device in the method and has any function of the first device in the method.

As shown in fig. 19, the communication apparatus applied to the transmitting end includes: a processing module and a transceiver module.

The processing module is used for generating a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU comprises an extended function field for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device. And the transceiver module is used for transmitting the PPDU.

Or,

the processing module is used for generating a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU comprises an extension common field for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the transceiver module is used for transmitting the PPDU.

Or,

the processing module is used for generating a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; the PPDU comprises an extension public field used for indicating the public configuration information of the first characteristic and an extension function field used for indicating the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the transceiver module is used for transmitting the PPDU.

Or,

a processing module for generating a PPDU comprising a user specific field; the user specific field comprises at least one extension user field; the user specific field supports an expanded user field and a traditional user field; the bit number of the expanded user field is equal to the sum of the bit number of the traditional user field and the first bit number; the first number of bits is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; and the transceiver module is used for transmitting the PPDU.

The communication apparatus applied to the sending end provided in the embodiment of the present application is the second device in the method, and has any function of the second device in the method, and specific details may refer to the method and are not described herein again.

As shown in fig. 20, the communication apparatus applied to the receiving end includes: a receiving and sending module and a processing module.

The system comprises a receiving and sending module, a sending and receiving module and a sending and receiving module, wherein the receiving and sending module is used for receiving a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; wherein the PPDU comprises an extended function field for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first equipment analyzes the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the processing module is configured to parse configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field.

Or,

the system comprises a receiving and sending module, a sending and receiving module and a sending and receiving module, wherein the receiving and sending module is used for receiving a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; the PPDU comprises an extension public field used for indicating public configuration information of a first characteristic; the first property is a property supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first equipment analyzes the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the processing module is configured to parse the public configuration information with the first characteristic according to the extended public field.

Or,

the system comprises a receiving and sending module, a sending and receiving module and a sending and receiving module, wherein the receiving and sending module is used for receiving a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; the PPDU comprises an extension public field used for indicating the public configuration information of the first characteristic and an extension function field used for indicating the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first equipment analyzes the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the processing module is configured to parse public configuration information with a first characteristic according to the extended public field; and analyzing the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the extended function field.

Or,

a transceiver module for receiving a PPDU including a user specific field; the user specific field comprises at least one extension user field; the user specific field supports an expanded user field and a traditional user field; the bit number of the expanded user field is equal to the sum of the bit number of the traditional user field and the first bit number; the first number of bits is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first property is a property supported by the R2 device but not supported by the R1 device; the first device analyzes the PPDU; when the first device is an R2 device, the processing unit is configured to parse configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device according to the first bit number.

The communication apparatus applied to the receiving end in the embodiment of the present application is the first device in the method, and has any function of the first device in the method, and specific details may be referred to in the method and are not described herein again.

The communication apparatus applied to the transmitting end and the communication apparatus applied to the receiving end according to the embodiments of the present application are described above, and possible product forms of the communication apparatus applied to the transmitting end and the communication apparatus applied to the receiving end are described below. It should be understood that any form of product having the features of the communication apparatus applied to the transmitting side described in fig. 19 and any form of product having the features of the communication apparatus applied to the receiving side described in fig. 20 fall within the scope of the present application. It should be further understood that the following description is only an example, and does not limit the product form of the communication apparatus applied to the transmitting end and the product form of the communication apparatus applied to the receiving end according to the embodiments of the present application to this.

As a possible product form, the communication device applied to the transmitting end and the communication device applied to the receiving end according to the embodiments of the present application may be implemented by a general bus architecture.

The communication device applied to the transmitting end comprises a processor and a transceiver connected and communicated with the inside of the processor; the processor is configured to generate a PPDU; the transceiver is configured to transmit the PPDU. Optionally, the communication device applied to the transmitting end may further include a memory for storing instructions executed by the processor.

The communication device applied to the receiving end comprises a processor and a transceiver connected and communicated with the inside of the processor; the transceiver is used for receiving PPDU; the processor is configured to parse the PPDU. Optionally, the communication device applied to the receiving end may further include a memory for storing instructions executed by the processor.

As a possible product form, the communication apparatus applied to the transmitting end and the communication apparatus applied to the receiving end according to the embodiments of the present application may be implemented by a general-purpose processor.

The general processor for realizing the communication device applied to the sending end comprises a processing circuit and an input/output interface which is connected and communicated with the inside of the processing circuit; the processing circuit is used for generating PPDU; the input and output interface is used for sending the PPDU. Optionally, the general processor may also include a storage medium to store instructions for execution by the processing circuitry.

The general processor for realizing the communication device applied to the receiving end comprises a processing circuit and an input/output interface which is connected and communicated with the inside of the processing circuit, wherein the input/output interface is used for receiving PPDU; the processing circuit is used for resolving the PPDU. Optionally, the general-purpose processor may also include a storage medium to store instructions for execution by the processing circuitry.

As one possible product form, the communication apparatus applied to the transmitting end and the communication apparatus applied to the receiving end according to the embodiment of the present application may be implemented by using the following: one or more FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), PLDs (programmable logic devices), controllers, state machines, gate logic, discrete hardware components, any other suitable circuitry, or any combination of circuitry capable of performing the various functions described throughout this application.

It should be understood that the resource allocation apparatus applied to the transmitting end and the resource allocation apparatus applied to the receiving end in the above various product forms respectively have any functions of the transmitting end and the receiving end in the above method embodiments, and are not described herein again.

It should be understood that the term "and/or" herein is only one kind of association relationship describing the association object, and means that there may be three kinds of relationships, for example, a and/or B, and may mean: a exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character "/" herein generally indicates that the former and latter related objects are in an "or" relationship.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the various method steps and elements described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both, and that the steps and elements of the various embodiments have been described above generally in terms of their functionality in order to clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the implementation. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

It can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that, for convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the above-described systems, apparatuses and units may refer to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and are not described herein again.

In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed system, apparatus and method may be implemented in other ways. For example, the above-described apparatus embodiments are merely illustrative, and for example, the division of the units is only one logical division, and other divisions may be realized in practice, for example, a plurality of units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be omitted, or not executed. In addition, the shown or discussed mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection may be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units, and may also be an electric, mechanical or other form of connection.

The units described as separate parts may or may not be physically separate, and parts displayed as units may or may not be physical units, may be located in one place, or may be distributed on a plurality of network units. Some or all of the elements may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of the embodiments of the present application.

In addition, functional units in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units are integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be realized in a form of hardware, and can also be realized in a form of a software functional unit.

The integrated unit, if implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as a stand-alone product, may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, the technical solution of the present application may be substantially or partially contributed by the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution may be embodied in a software product, which is stored in a storage medium and includes instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device) to execute all or part of the steps of the method according to the embodiments of the present application. And the aforementioned storage medium includes: various media capable of storing program codes, such as a usb disk, a removable hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, the scope of the invention is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can easily conceive various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope of the invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

receiving a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU); wherein the PPDU comprises an extended function field; the extended function field is used for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the first trait being a trait supported by an R2 device but not supported by an R1 device;

resolving the PPDU; and analyzing configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 device according to the extended function field.

2. The method of claim 1,

the PPDU also comprises a traditional public field and a traditional user field; wherein the legacy common field is used to parse the legacy user field, and the legacy user field is used to indicate configuration information of a second characteristic; the second characteristic is a characteristic that the R1 device supports in common with the R2 device;

analyzing the traditional user field according to the traditional public field;

and analyzing the configuration information of the second characteristic according to the traditional user field.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,

the expansion function field is an expansion characteristic field; the expansion characteristic field comprises a sub-expansion common field, and the sub-expansion common field comprises first indication information and common characteristic indication information; the first indication information is used for indicating whether the first characteristic exists or not; the common characteristic indication information is used for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic;

analyzing whether the first characteristic exists or not according to the first indication information;

and analyzing the public configuration information of the first characteristic according to the public characteristic indication information.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2,

the expansion function field is an expansion characteristic field; the expansion characteristic field comprises a sub expansion public field, and the sub expansion public field comprises second indication information and public characteristic indication information; the second indication information is used for indicating whether the R2 equipment configures the first characteristic, and the common characteristic indication information is used for indicating the common configuration information of the first characteristic;

whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristic is analyzed according to the second indication information;

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2,

the extension function field is an extension characteristic field; the expansion characteristic field comprises a sub-expansion public field, and the sub-expansion public field comprises first indication information, second indication information and public characteristic indication information; the first indication information is used for indicating whether the first characteristic exists or not; the second indication information is used for indicating whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic; the common characteristic indication information is used for indicating common configuration information of the first characteristic;

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2,

the expansion function field is an expansion characteristic field; the extension characteristic field comprises a sub-extension user field;

the sub-expansion user field comprises identification information and user characteristic indication information; the identification information is used for indicating an R2 device; the user characteristic indication information is used for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment indicated by the identification information;

analyzing R2 equipment according to the identification information;

and analyzing the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 equipment indicated by the identification information according to the user characteristic indication information.

7. The method of claim 2,

the extension function field is an extension characteristic field, and the extension characteristic field comprises the sub extension user field;

the equipment corresponding to the sub-extension user field is sequentially the same as the equipment corresponding to the traditional user field; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; the sub extension user field comprises a sub extension user field of the R1 device and a sub extension user field of the R2 device;

the sub extension user field of the R2 device comprises user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indication information is used for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device;

and analyzing the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the devices corresponding to the sub-extension user field are sequentially the same as the devices corresponding to the legacy user field, and the method comprises:

and the equipment corresponding to at least one sub-extension user field is the same as the equipment corresponding to at least one conventional user field in sequence.

9. The method according to claim 1 or 2,

the extension function field is an extension characteristic field, and the extension characteristic field comprises a sub-extension user field;

the sub-extension user field comprises position information and user characteristic indication information;

wherein the user characteristic indication information is used to indicate configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used for indicating the position of a traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extension user field in the traditional user field; the sub extension user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the sub extension user field correspond to the same R2 device; analyzing configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information; analyzing the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the sub-extension user field in the traditional user field according to the position information; or

Wherein the user characteristic indication information is used for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used for indicating the position of a resource unit corresponding to the sub-extension user field; the resource units corresponding to the sub extension user fields and the sub extension user fields correspond to the same R2 equipment; analyzing configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information; and analyzing the positions of the resource units corresponding to the sub-extension user fields according to the position information.

10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9,

the sub-extension user field also comprises third indication information; wherein the third indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information;

and analyzing whether the R2 equipment configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information or not according to the third indication information.

11. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 10,

the extension function field is an extension characteristic field, and the extension characteristic field comprises a sub-extension public field and the sub-extension user field; the sub-extension public field is used for analyzing the sub-extension user field;

and analyzing the sub-extension user field according to the sub-extension public field.

12. The method of claim 11,

the sub-extension common fields include one or more of: the public characteristic indication information, the first indication information, the second indication information, the fourth indication information and the fifth indication information;

wherein the common characteristic indication information is used to indicate common configuration information of the first characteristic; the first indication information is used for indicating whether the first characteristic exists or not; the second indication information is used for indicating whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic; the fourth indication information is used for indicating the type of the sub-extension user field; the fifth indication information is used for indicating whether a sub extension user field of the R2 device exists or not;

according to the public characteristic indication information, public configuration information of the first characteristic is analyzed; analyzing whether the first characteristic exists or not according to the first indication information; whether the R2 equipment is configured with the first characteristic is analyzed according to the second indication information; analyzing the type of the sub-extension user field according to the fourth indication information; and analyzing whether the sub-extension user field of the R2 equipment exists or not according to the fifth indication information.

13. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 12,

the sub-extension public field further comprises first public user information; the first public user information is used for indicating the public configuration information of the R2 device corresponding to the sub extension user field;

and analyzing the public configuration information of the R2 equipment corresponding to the sub expansion user field according to the first public user information.

14. The method according to claim 1 or 2,

the extension function field is an extension user field, and the extension user field comprises identification information and user characteristic indication information;

wherein the identification information is used for indicating an R2 device; the user characteristic indication information is used for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment indicated by the identification information;

analyzing the R2 equipment according to the identification information; and analyzing the configuration information of the first characteristic of the R2 equipment indicated by the identification information according to the user characteristic indication information.

15. The method of claim 2,

the extended function field is an extended user field, and the devices corresponding to the extended user field are the devices corresponding to the traditional user field in sequence; the device is an R1 device or an R2 device; the extension user field comprises an extension user field of the R1 device and an extension user field of the R2 device;

the extension user field of the R2 device comprises user characteristic indication information; wherein the user characteristic indication information is used for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device;

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the devices corresponding to the extension user field are devices corresponding to the legacy user field in turn, and the method comprises:

and the equipment corresponding to at least one expanded user field is the equipment corresponding to at least one traditional user field in sequence.

17. The method of claim 2,

the expansion function field is an expansion user field, and the expansion user field comprises position information and user characteristic indication information;

wherein the user characteristic indication information is used for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used for indicating the position of a traditional user field corresponding to the expanded user field in the traditional user field; the extension user field and the traditional user field corresponding to the extension user field correspond to the same R2 equipment; analyzing configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information; analyzing the position of the traditional user field corresponding to the expanded user field in the traditional user field according to the position information; or

Wherein the user characteristic indication information is used for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 device; the position information is used for indicating the position of a resource unit corresponding to the expanded user field; the extension user field and the resource unit corresponding to the extension user field correspond to the same R2 device; analyzing configuration information of a first characteristic of the R2 equipment according to the user characteristic indication information; and analyzing the position of the resource unit corresponding to the expanded user field according to the position information.

18. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 17,

the expansion user field also comprises third indication information; wherein the third indication information is used to indicate whether the R2 device configures the first characteristic according to the user characteristic indication information;

19. The method of any one of claims 1 to 18,

the extension function field is located in a padding area in an EHT-SIG field of the PPDU.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving the PPDU comprises:

receiving the PPDU carrying the EHT-SIG field over at least two content channels;

wherein the extended functionality field is located in the at least two content channels after a last legacy user field in the EHT-SIG field for which a legacy user-specific field is longer; the EHT-SIG field comprises the legacy user-specific field; the legacy user-specific field comprises the legacy user field; or

The extended functionality field is located in the at least two content channels, after a last legacy user field of the EHT-SIG field of each content channel.

21. The method of any one of claims 1 to 20,

the OFDM symbol where the starting position of the expanded function field is located and the OFDM symbol where the ending position of the last traditional user field of the PPDU is located are separated by N OFDM symbols.

22. The method of any one of claims 1 to 21,

the padding field of the EHT-SIG field of the PPDU also comprises eighth indication information; the eighth indication information is used for indicating whether the PPDU comprises the extended function field;

and analyzing whether the PPDU comprises the extended function field or not according to the eighth indication information.

23. The method of any one of claims 1 to 22,

a U-SIG field of the PPDU comprises ninth indication information; the ninth indication information is used for indicating the type of the extended function field;

and analyzing the type of the extended function field according to the ninth indication information.

24. The method of any one of claims 2 to 23,

the legacy user field of the PPDU comprises a legacy user field of an R2 device; wherein the legacy user field of the R2 device includes location information indicating a location of an extended capability field of the R2 device in the extended capability field;

and analyzing the position of the extended function field of the R2 equipment in the extended function field according to the position information.

25. The method of claim 24,

the legacy user field of the R2 device further includes tenth indication information; the tenth indication information is used for indicating whether an extended function field of the R2 device is included in the extended function field;

and analyzing whether the extended function field includes the extended function field of the R2 device according to the tenth indication information.

26. A method of communication, comprising:

generating a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU; the PPDU comprises an extended function field, wherein the extended function field is used for indicating configuration information of a first characteristic of an R2 device; the first characteristic is a characteristic supported by an R2 device but not supported by an R1 device;

and sending the PPDU.

27. A communication apparatus, characterized in that it comprises means for performing the communication method according to any of claims 1-26.

28. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program comprising instructions for performing the communication method of any one of claims 1-26.

29. A computer program product, characterized in that the computer program comprises instructions for performing the communication method according to any of claims 1-26.